by P.J. Harston
Northern News Services

NNSL (Apr 09/97) - Salvation Army worker Peter Skoropad says there are more people streaming into Yellowknife every week looking for work.

Many of them, their hopes set on landing a job at a new diamond mining operation, come up empty-handed.

"Then they're stuck here with nothing, not even enough food to get by on," said Skoropad.

These new residents only add to the growing population of long-time residents who have recently lost their jobs because of government cutbacks, he said.

Since Christmas the Salvation Army has served up more than 2,800 free hot meals and given away more than 300 food hampers for those in need.

"It's probably a little more than that," said Skoropad.

He and Capt. Al Hoeft were on hand at the Yellowknife Co-op all day Saturday to help kick-start the Army's annual spring food drive.

Hoeft said the response had already been good Saturday afternoon, but there's always a need for more.

"We have to keep this going from January to December. We always accept food at the Salvation Army," said Hoeft.