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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Fears that there will not be enough food to support the Yellowknife Salvation Army's Christmas Hamper Program this year are high, as the Sally Ann grapples with high applicant numbers amid dwindling donations.

Stacey Van Metre stands among emergency food hampers at the Salvation Army food store earlier this week. - Svjetlana Mlinarevic/NNSL

Fewer agencies and individuals have come forward to sponsor hampers this year, said program co-ordinator Stacey Van Metre, as the number of applicants neared 200 on Tuesday.

The program provided 260 hampers to individuals and families without throughout Yellowknife last year.

"The numbers are up. We haven't quite hit the 200 mark, but I know with it being 11 days left and the average application numbers I've been taking daily, we're going to exceed that," Van Metre said. "A lot of families in Yellowknife really depend on this program. This is their Christmas."

The Sally Ann is taking applications until Dec. 16, but the organization is concerned that there will not be enough donations for all the applicants.

"Definitely, I think it's leaning toward that but they will get them because the Salvation Army is a large organization, and if need be, I think there is money somewhere within it. (The Christmas hampers) just won't be as large, as substantial. I know we'll get through but I think the hampers might be smaller this year."

Last year, the hampers, which include a full Christmas dinner with turkey, and Christmas gifts for children, were much larger, due to "overwhelming" donations from several organizations, including Food Rescue, Yellowknife schools, and other government agencies.

All of the city's food assistance agencies could always use extra non-perishable food, said Grant Pryznyk, president of the Yk Food Bank, but there are peak periods for need, such as the current Christmas season.

This year, the food bank hosted an inter-agency workshop, which brought together all of the non-government organizations that provide food services in the community, including the Sally Ann, Food Rescue, SideDoor, the Centre for Northern Families and the YWCA.

"We all sat down and discussed where we were with our current operations and where we saw need for improvements, coordination, and cooperation -- making best use of all our human and financial resources really, because all across the country I believe a lot of donations are down, and it's hard to get volunteers to work, especially at peak times when they may be needed," Pryznyk said.

The Yk Food Bank does not have the capacity to put out special Christmas hampers but it gives out baskets of groceries to needy families twice a month on Saturdays, out of the donated space where it operates in the basement of Overlander Sports.

The next distribution days are Dec. 8 and 29.

In addition to non-perishable food items, the Yk Food Bank accepts cash donations, and since regaining its charitable status recently from the Canada Revenue Agency, can now provide income tax receipts for donations.

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