SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Yellowknifers in need who look to the food bank for help have recently arrived at the organization's doors only to find its closed early, and without enough food to go around. The generosity of one person and his employer is changing this.

Dave Ritchie, president of the food bank, said it had to scale back operations a bit to stay afloat this year. It had to shut its doors after giving out 150 bags when it opens for service every second Saturday. The food bank was giving out 200 bags of groceries every two weeks until last September. "We don't like to do that," said Ritchie, adding that the last time they will have to limit the bags given out at the food bank will be the Nov. 7 opening, because the food has already been purchased for that date.

The bank is staffed by volunteers.

Now, thanks to John Schnell, a BHP Billiton employee at Ekati diamond mine, the bank will be fine until spring, according to Ritchie.

The bank just received a $4,319.58 check from Schnell, and will receive another check of the same amount thanks to BHP's "matched giving" program.

"He talked to me up in the mines about (putting on a fundraiser)," said Dave Ritchie, who also works at the mine.

Schnell acquired some power tools and arranged a raffle at the mine, and donated all the money from it to the food bank.

"He actually spent $600 buying these tools himself and he's donated them to the food bank cause, and then he got permission from the mine to sell raffle tickets (at the mine)," said Ritchie.

The winner of the raffle was Gary Miller.

"We really appreciate this effort that John has made, and it came at a good time because we're getting low on funds," said Ritchie, adding that the bank had just enough to get them into the new year.

"We spend about $4,000 a month buying food."

Deana Twissell, superintendant of corporate and community affairs for BHP, confirmed the company will be matching Schnell's efforts.

"John does contribute quite a bit throughout the year to different charities. He's very active in the program, so that's great," said Twissell.

Throughout the rest of the year, the food bank gets its funding from a variety of sources.

Ritchie said some of the funding comes from donations from local businesses, as well as yearly fundraising efforts by schools and businesses.

The bank used to get funding from Revenue Canada, but when the bank moved its location and changed its mailing address, an obstacle arose two years ago.

"We were not getting the notices from Revenue Canada that we need to send our reports in, so they finally dropped our charitable status, and that has hurt us," said Ritchie, who is currently working to get the status reinstated, but said it may take another year to do so.

Demand had risen earlier this year, causing the bank to spend $5,000 a month for a while before dropping back down to $4,000 a month.