ARVIAT - For the last year, health workers in Arviat have helped feed 700 to 1,000 people monthly with an impromptu food bank.

Darren Price, store manager at the Northern Store in Arviat, and Ron Locke the grocery manager have been helping out the Arviat food bank by offering a 10 per cent discount. The impromptu food bank has been running for the last year thanks to the work of local health workers. - photo courtesy of Darren Price

Sandy Ranahan, nurse manager at the Arviat health centre, kept the food bank from disappearing after the previous organizers left town and the hamlet pulled out with concerns over funding.

"I'm really just a novice at this," said Ranahan on running the food bank. "When (the teachers) left, those left behind had difficulty organizing the food bank. I sort of inherited it."

The hamlet has given the health workers one or two bingo slots a month. Ranahan said it's just enough to keep the food bank going on a month to month basis.

The food bank opens two to three weeks a month and Ranahan guesses they feed anywhere between 80 to 100 families.

"It's just a supplement, but we try and provide food that will go a long way," said Ranahan.

The food bank provides pasta, crackers, breads, cans of soup and other essentials to help keep families fed. The hamlet donated the lower area of their training centre to store and distribute the food.

Ranahan previously worked with Winnipeg Harvest, a food bank based in Manitoba. She said, however, that with the cost of shipping, it's better for her to purchase food at local stores. Although there was a cost savings in getting food from Winnipeg Harvest, the food bank was footing the bill for transportation costs. Since they couldn't choose what foods they were getting, Ranahan found herself paying to ship foods such as canned artichokes that weren't appropriate to the food bank.

"We end up paying for the weight," said Ranahan.

The Northern Store, the Co-op, and Eskimo Point Lumber and Supply Airport Services stepped up to the plate offering the food bank a 10 per cent discount on food. This allowed the food bank to stock up on the essentials so they were no longer reliant on what Winnipeg Harvest could provide.

In addition to the discount, Joyce Fleury, store manager at Eskimo Point Lumber, said they also donate goods that are getting close to their best before date, things such as sandwiches and cookies.

While the arrangement is working out for now, Ranahan said they'll need more funding and help if they plan on opening more frequently.