Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Dec 16/98) - The need this year for Christmas donations of food is greater than ever, says Capt. Al Hoeft at the Salvation Army.

But the amount of food coming in for the Salvation Army's annual Christmas hamper program has fallen to its lowest level in years.

It's a combination that has the church calling out to the community.

"Donations to date are significantly behind," Hoeft said.

Hoeft said the church still needs food for about 200 more hampers. So far, there is barely enough food to put together 10 hampers.

"We realize government and school programs have yet to bring their food in, but we've never been this far behind (this close to Christmas)," he said.

"It's been slow before. We've had years when it looked bad, but not this bad."

And time is running out.

The church expects to put the hampers together Sunday and deliver them Monday. About 100 volunteers will be at the church Sunday to assemble the hampers.

"The (hamper) demand is up 20 to 25 per cent from last year," Hoeft said.

Overall, the church expects to distribute about 250 hampers.

The adopt-a-family hamper program set up in offices and at companies will handle about 50 of them.

"The adopt-a-family program is going well. It has taken care of this year's extra demand."

Asked what will happen if the church does not have enough food, Hoeft said they will have to go shopping. But that will likely hurt the church's ability to offer other programs.

If the Salvation Army has to go out and buy a huge amount of food for the Christmas hampers, it could mean there is no money for the church's soup kitchen program.

Donations -- food or money -- are being accepted at the Salvation Army Citadel on Franklin Ave. across from the Lahm Ridge Tower. People can drop off donations through Saturday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

As well as the Yellowknife food hamper program, the Salvation Army also supplies about 120 hampers to families Lutsel K'e, Rae-Edzo, Fort Simpson and Fort Liard.

Food for those communities' hampers is bought ahead of time and delivered by the DND.