With a remarkable 10 per cent growth last year in Cochrane, the local crunch continues with an increased demand on affordable housing, as well as a 26 per cent increased demand on the local food bank.
With a remarkable 10 per cent growth last year in Cochrane, the local crunch continues with an increased demand on affordable housing, as well as a 26 per cent increased demand on the local food bank.
There has also been a 42 per cent jump in the last year in the number of youth under 18 who are using the local food bank.
“People are moving into town…some of them are getting jobs in retail, often part time…and then there's the issue of affordable housing, ” said Ann Beatty, chair of the Activettes Food Bank committee.
“Last year our monetary donations were down, but we attributed that to people helping out with the flood…we're hoping that they will be back up this year, ” said Beatty, adding that most monetary donations come in during the Christmas season.
“We have a great community for donating, ” said Beatty, adding that donation bins are located at No Frills, Safeway and Save-On-Foods and monetary donations can be made through cochraneactivettes.com.
Anyone in need of a hamper can contact the Cochrane FCSS at 403-851-2250.
The annual fall ‘Helping Hands Food Drive' takes place Oct. 18 this year.
Cochrane Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) staff has reported some 570 requests for affordable housing in the last 12 months.
“It's difficult to gauge but it's around double the inquiries we were getting (in previous years), ” said FCSS manager, Susan Flowers.
“We're getting a lot of calls from Calgary people looking to move here…I think 20 years ago you could find more affordable housing in rural communities, but you have to go a lot further than Cochrane now. ”
It appears that demand on food banks has risen throughout southern Alberta over the last year, as the affordable housing problem continues, following the June 2013 epic flood and heavy rainfall in the region.
Shawna Ogston, a spokesperson for the Calgary Food Bank, reported that overall demand on their resources is up 10 per cent over the last year.
“The majority of our increased demand is from people who have moved here from out of province, ” explained Ogston. “We also still see (flood-impacted) people who have used up all their savings, home owners who are in limbo. ”
She added that there has been an overall reduction in the number of full-time jobs to part-time jobs in Calgary.
Ogston said they work in partnership with some 300 charities and non-profits and that the food bank is often an initial point of contact for those in need.
Corinne Burns, housing coordinator for Cochrane Society for Housing Options (CSHO) said the local non-profit is doing what they can to link individuals referred to them by FCSS with affordable housing.
With nowhere affordable to move on to, the result is no vacancies in the 21 CSHO-owned units and four Town-owned and CSHO-managed units in Cochrane.
Currently, CSHO is gearing up their fundraising campaign, with a goal of bringing in $100,000 to go toward the society's purchase of 13 units in the Trading Post development, located in Sunset Ridge.
The $100,000 would add to the provincial grant monies of $1.7 million, as well as grants from the Calgary Real Estate Board and local businesses, to keep the rental units at 10 per cent below current market rates.
“We operate our rentals at least 10 per cent below market value, ” explained Burns. “The more we can fundraise, the less we have to finance ourselves and the lower we can keep our rents. ”
The society purchased the units from Calbridge Homes at ‘a significantly reduced rate'; the construction is tentatively slated for completion by summer-fall 2015.
Burns said CSHO welcomes any community partners who wish to make an impact on the affordable housing market in Cochrane and are encouraged to get in touch with her at 403-851-0410.
Cochrane FCSS is encouraging Cochranites to stop by their locations at 209 2nd Ave West to purchase United Way raffle tickets.
A WestJet trip for two is one of the prizes up for grabs and all proceeds go toward CSHO's fundraising goal of $100,000.
Tickets can be purchased for $5 at the No Frills Gas Bar, the CookHouse, the Clothesline, Home Reno Heaven and the local FCSS location.
Shoppers are encouraged to visit the Clothesline and Home Reno Heaven, as proceeds from purchases go toward the CSHO 13-unit project.
The draw will take place Oct. 25 at the annual ‘Wellness Fair'.
