Pictured here: Erin Katerynych with the Battlefords District Food and Resource Centre, accepts a $5,000 cheque from Ira Bird of Mosquito First Nation, to go toward the Empty Stocking Fund. (submitted photo/Erin Katerynych)

By Martin Martinson

Making an Impact

Empty Stocking Fund a success this Christmas

Dec 23, 2020 | 4:03 PM

The Christmas season is a time for community, and a time for giving.

The Battlefords District Food and Resource Centre Empty Stocking Fund wrapped up Wednesday, after distributing hampers to those in need Dec. 21 to 23.

The local food bank has already raised over $106,000 this year, exceeding their goal of $100,000 and last year’s total of over $95,500.

However, the more than 3,500 pounds of food raised this year is much less than the over 10,000 pounds raised in 2019.

Overall, executive director with the Food and Resource Centre, Erin Katerynych, said she is pleased with how the fundraiser went this Christmas.

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“I feel this year was a success,” she said. “We anticipated a drop in food donations, but we made up for it in [financial] donations which will be used to purchase food in bulk when our shelves run low.”

The WPD EMS Elves collected two ambulances full of toys for this year’s Empty Stocking Fund, and Loraas Environmental hosted a business food drive again this year.

All total, the food bank distributed 280 hampers to help 816 people, 416 of which were children which was down from last year. Katerynych said the decline in numbers from a year ago was likely because many families accessed the COVID-19 Federal Government payments and therefore did not require the local food bank’s help this holiday season.

Through the month of December food bank totals, not including Christmas, amount to 330 households helped, including 827 people, 453 of which were children.

The food bank does rely on donations of food and financial contributions year-round to continue to run operations and provide a place for those in need.

In addition to what is donated locally, Nutrien will also be matching up to $250,000 in cash donations until Dec. 31, to help reduce hunger through the holidays.

Local man makes a difference

Among the contributions to the Empty Stocking Fund this year, the Battlefords District Food and Resource Centre received a $5,000 donation from local, Ira Bird.

Bird, who is from Mosquito First Nation, said growing up he witnessed and experienced hardships, so he decided to donate to the Empty Stocking Fund to ensure children in need have food and toys this Christmas.

Katerynych said they are grateful for the contributions of Bird and many others, who make all the difference for so many families in the community, especially around the Christmas season.

“It really warmed my heart,” Katerynych said. “It is with the support from people like Ira that we are able to do what we do here. With the support we get [and] the donations, we’re able to help out those who are struggling with poverty in the Battlefords and the surrounding communities.”

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1