The shelves of the Cochrane Activettes Food Bank are in good shape heading into the summer months, said organization chair Heather Fennell.
The Activettes have been hard at work since June 20, collecting and sending goods to Morley to help stock the evacuation centre that is set up at the Morley Community School. Unable to take items from their stock, Fennell said the group generously used their donation boxes to collect goods specifically for the Stoney Nakoda First Nation.
In the end, the group sent 80 boxes of food out to the reserve. That number jumps even higher when you consider all the potable water than was donated.
As always, residents can drop off non-perishable foods and sundry items at any Cochrane food store, Cochrane Family and Community Support Services and local churches. The group will also welcome cash donations.
The Iyahrhe Nakoda Food Bank has been temporarily operating out of the Chiniki Nakoda Grocery Store and will be open seven days a week until further notice, said Cindy Overland, manager of the food bank.
“We’ve had an increase in people staying at the reception centre,” said Paul O’Neill, project manager of disaster recovery for the Stoney Nation. “This, coupled with food services and clothing distribution, created congestion. The Chiniki grocery building was sitting empty, unused and it has food coolers. The fit is perfect.”
Currently, there are about 284 homes on the Stoney Nakoda First Nation that have been affected by June’s heavy rainfall. About 1,900 people have been displaced.
O’Neill added that the food bank is supervising the storage of food and taking over operations of food services for the evacuation centre.
Overland said donations to the food bank are still being accepted. Not only is the food bank serving evacuated residents along with non-evacuated clients, but Overland said the organization is also trying to collect enough items to re-stock kitchens once residents move back home.
She said food items such as canned fruit and vegetables, canned turkey, ham and chicken, and peanut butter are especially popular.
As of July 9, O’Neill said there “is no firm date” on the horizon for evacuees to be able to move back into their houses.
“Remediation and inspection teams continue to inspect the damage, clean, sanitize and repair the homes,” he said. “Return dates are dependent on the extent of the damage and will differ by house.”
