VOLUNTEERS Geraldine Edgell (att, Evangeline Bolton, Selina Faithful and Kathy Miller count grocery bags packed and ready for food bank recipients. It’s the week of want KATHY MILLER says for Terrace’s poor, the tough- est week of the month is the one just before the welfare cheques go out. After the bills are paid, there. may not be any ‘money lefl over, making it hard to find enough to eat. That’s where the Ter- ‘race. Churches Food bank. ‘comes ins It’s open once a month, during that same week when the money crunch hits our community’s poor -the hardest. Last week the food bank distributed 574 bags, of groceries. That's more than 100 fewer than in No- ‘vember 1999, “We're not sure why,” says Miller, chairperson of the Terrace Churches Food Hank. “I’m hoping things - have turned around for some people,” She speculates that ~ some people may have left . town, or may have found | wark here. “L hope that if they left this area it was for some- thing better,” Miller says, “I hope that things are turning around.” What's, clear is that the food bank is bracing for plenty of business this coming January and Febr- uary, when the impact of natural: gas heating bill “hikes will be felt, particu- larly for residents living closest to the poverty line. _ “A lot of them are ex-. pressing concerns,” she says, adding people on pensions are especially worried about how they'll make ends meet. The bags contain two’ kinds of soup, two cans of vegetables, a container of pork and beans, canned milk, a package of macar- oni and cheese, eggs, hamburger, a roll of bath- room tissue, and a loaf of bread. ‘Singles and adult cou- ples are given one bag, Families with children get two, and families of five ‘pet two and a little bit extra — whatever items the food bank has on hand, whether il’s crackers, ‘Soups, cereal or juice. Operated under the au- spices of Terrace’s mini- Sterial. association, the food bank, located at 4647 . Lazelle Ave., is non-deno- minational and non-parti- san. Miller stresses the Ter- . tace Churches Food Bank is a separate entity from the Salvation Army. “There’s been a real misconception in the com- munity here, between us -and the Salvation Army,” she’ admits. “We're two -Separate organizations, But we're doing the same good work in the community, helping people, to tied them. over with their food needs,” _ The food bank is open in October and November, but does not distribute food in December, when the Salvation Army’s Christ- -faas Hamper program is newspapers right in your backyard Canad{an Community Newspapers Association running. “But we’re back in bu- siness January through April,” Miller says. Miller says about $6,500 worth of food is distributed each month. In order to meet de- mand, the food bank relies on cash donations from corporations, businesses, community groups and in- dividuals. Miller cites the B.C. Sharing coupon program as another valuable source of financial donations. “It's an excellent way of sharing with the com- munity,” Miller says. Denations of non-per- ishable food items can also be dropped off at bins located at Safeway and the Bargain Shop. Registration and distri- bution takes place in alphabetical order during the week the food bank is open. Recipients have to es- tablish financial hardship ‘and meet with a local minister to determine how much food they will need. Miller says 70 volun- teers helped out in Octo- ber, and another 60 in No- vember. Many are reci- pients themselves, who see volunteering at the food bank as a way to re- sturn the favour, Donations can also be mailed to the Terrace Churches Food bank C/O 4012 Anderson St., Ter- race, B.C. V8G 2T2. On purchase of all new in stock 2000 Ford Cars, Mini Vans, $.U.V’s, F150 Pickups [Excludes F F250- ai Duns The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, November 22, 2000 - B7 Place a classified word ad and... INTRODUCING WHERE THE POWER OF THE CLASSIFIED AD MEETS THE POWER OF THE INTERNET! http://www.beclassified.com When you place a classified word ad in our newspaper, your ad will automati- cally be posted on the Internet, for the entire duration of the booking. STANDARD Ph: 250-638-7283, FAX 250-638-8432 RACE TOTEM