The local charity plans to put in a new vinyl floor and counter top next month.

The group has set aside between $700 and $1,000 to install the new floor, which will help bring the basement storage room up to code, said food bank president Dave Ritchie.

The food bank would like to be able to give out caribou meat donated by local hunters once the renovations are done and have passed health inspections.

The new floor is easier to clean than the present carpeted one and will aid in the approval process.

The food bank's shelves should also be full for the next six months, thanks to $18,000 in donations.

On Jan. 7, the group met to calculate the donations -- most of which were collected over the holiday season -- and determined it could carry on for another six months at current distribution levels.

"We're in the same shape as last year," said Ritchie. "We can keep going for another year and at the same rate thanks to the donations."

The food bank opens twice a month and serves 300 regular clients -- 10 per cent higher than in previous years.