Fort Providence (Oct 11/04) - With winter looming -- not to mention the Christmas season -- food banks are sizing up their supplies.

And it appears the three food banks in the South Slave and Deh Cho are in fair to good shape.

A food drive was held Sept. 29, covering half of Fort Providence, by Zhahti Koe Friendship Centre, which operates a food bank.

"The people of the community give generously," says Violet Landry, the centre's program co-ordinator, noting 20 grocery bags full of items were gathered.

Enough food was collected to take the food bank almost right up to Christmas.

Another food drive will be held later this month in the remainder of the town, to cover Christmas hampers and the early part of the new year.

Landry finds the busiest time of the year for the food bank is just after Christmas.

"It's usually busy because people spend a lot of money on food and gifts for Christmas," she said.

The Fort Providence food bank helps 10-15 clients on a regular basis, giving out food once a month.

Landry says the biggest need is for the basics, like canned soup, dried goods and cereal.

Average supplies

In Fort Smith, Extended Hand is operated by the Pentecostal Church.

Pastor John Emerson says the fall and winter are usually busy seasons for the food bank, especially with students going back to Aurora College and Christmas approaching.

Each December, the local fire department conducts a food and toy drive throughout the community to gather items for Christmas hampers.

"They're about average right now," Emerson said of the food bank's supplies, noting they help about 10 families every month.

Food drive

Soaring Eagle Friendship Centre in Hay River held a food drive in June.

However, the supplies are going down again, says Sharon Pekok, the centre's program co-ordinator.

"We've never gone down to the point where we've had to panic," she noted.

Each week, the food bank helps between four and six families, Pekok said. "It's basically more of an emergency thing."

The centre has cash cans and food bins at several locations around town to collect donations.

"The support from the community is pretty steady," Pekok says.

Unlike some other food banks, Soaring Eagle does not distribute Christmas hampers. That is left to Secret Santa, which collects food and toys especially for the Christmas season.