A sabiet www.terracestandard.ct Toy demand soared but hampers dipped ' By JENNIFER LANG THE NUMBER of Terrace children who received Christmas gifts through the Sal- vation Army jumped by nearly 40 per cent ,this’ past holiday season, even though the number of food hampers given out was down. Orbanizers handed out 1,353 gifts to individual children as part of Salvation Army food hampers. That's an astonishing number com- pared to the previous December, says Iso- bel Lippers, director of family and com- munity services for the Salvation Army in Terrace. In December 2002, the Army and its volunteers distributed gifts to 834 children. The Salvation Army. purchases some of the toys but many of the gifts for children are donated. That startling statistic is even more surprising considering the number of ham- pers the Salvation Army distributed local- ly overt the holidays is down. Lippers said 537 food hampers were given out this year, which is 50 fewer than in 2001. “I thought we would have more, but we. think that a lot of people did move. out of town, Just look around and see the empty houses,” she said. “A lot of people have. moved.” Lippers said some people are reluctant to accept charity, which may help ex- plain why the number of hampers distri- buted this Christmas was down, even though the local economy has yet to show signs of improvement. Lippers said a number of the families who tumed to the Salvation Army for help have. large families with as many as five or six children. individuals, : businesses. and community organizations responded to the Salvation Army's annual. Christmas campaign, by . donating money, food, and ‘theit time. .. “Other § groups assisting needy people in ‘Terrace are seeing dramatic increases. The, Bread of Life Soup Kitchen, “operated by” the Seventh Day Adventist Chureh, hosted Christmas dinner for 300 in two separate sittings in order ta ac- commodate so many people. That’s dou-— ble the previous year. But surprisingly very few people turned out to the Terrace Emergency Shelter and Hostel dinner, operated by Ksan House Society. Shelter coordinator Roy Atrill said about 30 people showed up for din- ner, but so did a large number of volun- teers, a fact he viewed as a positive sign that people in the community are taking the hunger issue seriously. He said Ksan House may look at orga- nizing a winter dinner after the holiday season instead. Atrill isn’t surprised hamper numbers are down at the Salvation Army. He thinks a growing number of people in town have nowhere to cook Christmas meal fixings in the hampers. He says things are getting worse for the poorest of the poor and that the num- ber of Terrace residents who are homeless is growmeg. . Many can’t afford to pay their utility bills and simply go without lights ar heat - or they are homeless, living with one friend after another, ending up at the shelter, Atrill continued. Atrill blames skyrocketing utility costs and changes to eligibility rules for wel- fare recipients ushered in last year. He says the Salvation Army’s numbers suggest some of the people who might normally rely on Christmas hampers may have moved out of town or the province in search-of work. That option is more easily in | reach for people who own a vehicle and have en- ough money or credit to move, Numbers are up at the Terrace Chur- ches Food Bank. Treasurer Dennis Brewer said the food bank distributed 758 bags of groceries in January. That’s about 200 more bags than were handed out. in: November. ° He said more of! ‘the recipients are sin- gle people, which may suggest people whose incomes, have. been effected by the Skeena Céllulosé” “shutdown have reached '~ the Limit of the financial resources that have seen them through the past 18 months. The Terrace Standard; Wednesday, February 12, 2003 -BI Chamber of Commerce Week TERRACE CHURCHES Food Bank official Kathy Miller displays just a few of tha many tins of salmon received thanks to a federal fisheries bust on the lower mainland. The tins are going out this week. Food bank is able to share a bounty of tinned salmon A number of other grocery items arrived along’ with, FOOD BANK recipients are receiving something a little different this week — nearly 700 tins of canned salmon that were part of a huge federal fisheries bust on the lower mainland. The salmon, caught under an aboriginal communal fishing licence four years ago, was sold illegally. A-suc- cessful conviction last summer paved the way for its dis- tribution around the province. Officials seized 100, 000 cans of contraband salmon as evidence. The, Terrace Churches. Food Bank received about the Brewer said. The shipment was distributed through the Surrey Food Bank and was delivered, to Terrace by Bandstra Transportation Systems. tins of canned salmon in 14 boxes, treasurer Dennis’ the tins of salmon, Brewer said, The Terrace Churches ‘ Food Bank is a member of the Canadian Association of Food Banks, an umbrella organization that alsa ' runs: ‘a food sharing program with corporate donors. ° Brewer said the.food bank received a wide. variety of donated goods through the food sharing program, includ- ing a box of brand-new toothbrushes, tinned food i in den- ted cans, and cookie tins. = -* The food bank distributed 758 bags of groceries to “needy “people” in” Tertace™ in’ ‘January. That's about 200 “more” ‘bags than were handed out in November; It: Tepre- sents:a ‘significant increase... Brewer, said; ;more. Single people are turning to the food bank. We like to have fun as much as the next person but this is a no » joke or gimmick event, Mistakes have happened which could result in the .’ renting of additional warehouse space which we would like fo avoid if at all possible, Due to printing deadline, we apologize for the lack of — descriptions with the La-Z-Boy furniture on sale shown in this ad, but we would be more than happy fo answer all your questions in store. Totem Furniture & Appliances 4501 Lakelse Ave. Terrace, B.C V8G 1P3 Dear Totem Furniture & Appliances, - Good Luck Neil Megill L/ Z0OY GALLERY . 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