Open and accountable
Food bank becomes registered society in Rankin Inlet
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
KANGIQLINIQ/RANKIN INLET
The Ikurraq Food Bank became an official society in an attempt to better serve the community of Rankin Inlet this past month.
Ikurraq Food Bank Society member David Fredlund adds some Quaker Oats to the shelves of food items destined to help between 20 to 40 families get by each week. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo
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Volunteers recently held a penny sale at the food bank as its first official society fundraiser.
Ikurraq Food Bank Society board member David Fredlund said 100 per cent of funds raised by the society go toward food items for those less fortunate in Rankin Inlet.
He said the food bank is now a legal entity after being run on a volunteer basis for a number of years.
"The food bank is supplemented by the Deacon's Cupboard," said Fredlund. "We open the food bank every Wednesday from 6 p.m. until about 7:30 p.m. We have between 20 to 40 individuals come in every week to pick up food items to help support their families.
"We usually supply enough groceries to get a family of up to four people through for a day or two."
Fredlund said the society has a fairly regular base of volunteers who take care of the food bank each week.
He said they get to know the food bank clients very well over a period of time.
"Anyone in the community who needs a helping hand is welcome to come to the food bank.
"We don't turn anyone away, check into their records or anything like that.
"If anyone feels their family is in need, they can come by and we'll do what we can to help them out for the next few days.
"We have an account at our local Co-op and anyone who wishes to help the food bank can put money onto that account, and we also accept donations of non-perishable food items directly to the food bank."
Fredlund said the society volunteers wanted to become a registered society mainly to be totally open and accountable to the community on every donation received.
He said being a society also allows it to apply to different avenues of funding, such as bingo slots, grants and other funding sources.
"We run out of food and have to replenish our stores every week in Rankin. We don't have a surplus of revenues or stockpile of food items. Every single dollar we receive each week goes right back into the food bank.
"So, we're hoping becoming a society may allow us, over time, to build a few reserves to fall back upon when needed or to help more people each week."
The food bank has become quite important to the community of Rankin Inlet.
Fredlund said anywhere between 100 to 160 people a week are directly impacted by the availability of items through the food bank.
He said as the community continues to grow, the number of people needing a helping hand from time to time isn't going to get any lower.
"They're not rising quickly, but a continuous need for help from the food bank on a weekly basis definitely exists in Rankin Inlet. Since we've become a society and are now able to show more accountability, we've seen a rise in private donations from individuals in the community.
"We can't issue receipts for income tax purposes because we're a non-profit organization at the moment, not a charitable organization.
"The first step was to become a society, so now we'll see how things go the first little while and then make a decision on whether it's in our best interests to become a charitable organization."
