South East Helping Hands is putting out a call for food donations as they continue to prepare up to 425 hampers for each pickup day.
Operations Manager Ken Dyck says the need for support remains constant, no matter the season.
“We're getting low on a lot of stuff. We're almost to the point that I think we might have to buy some stuff. But our next big adventure is the youth food drive, that replenishes a lot of stuff.”
While the annual youth food drive will help restock shelves, it's not scheduled until the end of September, leaving a gap to fill over the summer months.
“We don't have crackers. We don't have enough to give out in one shot. Our pork and beans, we're getting a little on. Tomato soup we're getting low on. Variety soup we have quite a bit, but tomato soup, we're basically much out. So, there's all these little things that are starting to dwindle.”
Events like the Pioneer Days parade offer some relief.
“We've got the parade that helps a little bit. Like I keep saying, if everybody would give us a can during the parade, we’d have over 10,000 cans of whatever.”
Even items like cookies are quickly going off the shelves, and while Dyck says it may not seem like a necessity, it is important that families receive these items.
“We all buy it, so why can't they? And we try to change things up. They don't always get cookies. One time they'll get cookies, next time we put Mr. Noodles in, we change things up because we don't eat the same thing, so we try to make it different every time they get a bag.”
Non-perishable food donations can be placed in drop-off bins located at Sobeys, Superstore, and Giant Tiger in Steinbach. Items can also be dropped off directly at South East Helping Hands, located at 525 Main Street.
Monetary donations can be made online by visiting sehh.ca/how-you-can-help/#donate.
In the midst of growing need, South East Helping Hands also celebrated a moment of good news last week, as a $2,000 cheque was presented to Chris Summerville, winner of the One Great Lottery.
“That's just tremendous, but it's also tremendous that I'm able to assist South East Helping Hands through this St. Boniface initiative,” Summerville says.
The One Great Lottery supports nonprofit organizations across Manitoba, which is why Summerville says he’s proud to take part.
“There's several organizations of interest to me like Peer Support Manitoba and the South East Helping Hands. And so this time around, I said, well, as I do this lottery I'll designate whatever portion would go to South East Helping Hands, and they do great work here in the Steinbach and Hanover region. And so, I'm proud of this association that we have with them.”
He notes that he was impressed by what he saw while visiting the Helping Hands facility.
“I'm just impressed because when you drive by the building, you don't really realize the amount of space they have in this wonderful building that they've designed throughout the years to accommodate their purpose and their mission of assisting people who require food help.”
The visit gave Summerville a firsthand look at the scale of operations and the effort behind the scenes.
“I realize it's a continuous thing of what they need in terms of supplies or resources. So I'm impressed with all the items that are boxed. I mean probably hundreds and hundreds of boxes that are then transferred to paper sacks for recipients of the food. It's not a simple thing. It must take incredibly a number of volunteers and a master coordinator to work with the volunteers of assisting for smooth transition of the food items that are here.”
As for the prize money, Summerville says he plans to continue giving back.
“Not to be braggadocious, but I do help other people and other different charitable causes and so a portion of will go to pay a bill,” he says. “It’s not really a selfish endeavor, it’s about helping others and if we help one another, then we help ourselves as well and that's scriptural and biblical and I’m committed to that.”