Luggage load lightens food burden
Federation of Labour members use checked bag allowance for food bank donation
Casey Lessard
Northern News Services
Monday, June 13, 2016
IQALUIT
Only days after Iqaluit's food bank announced it is $20,000 short of its fundraising goals, a group of labour leaders showed that a small idea can make a big difference to those needing help.
Niqinik Nuatsivik Nunavut food bank board chair Stephen Wallick thanks Northern Territories Federation of Labour president Alexander Lambrecht for bringing eight banker's boxes full of food from executive members to Iqaluit from Yellowknife. - Casey Lessard/NNSL photo |
"If I have to sacrifice bringing a couple pairs of clean clothes to feed a couple of people, I'll gladly sacrifice to make sure people have food," said Alexander Lambrecht, president of the Northern Territories Federation of Labour. Heading to Iqaluit from Yellowknife for a biennial meeting, he and three other executives stuffed their carry-on bags with clothes, and used their checked luggage allowance to bring boxes of food for the food bank.
The NTFL, whose members include all unionized Government of Nunavut employees, set aside $1,200 for its donation, spending $90 on eight banker's boxes for the flight. That left just over $1,100 for the shopping spree, as Lambrecht aimed at a target of eight times 70 pounds each. In the end, some boxes were slightly heavier, for a total of 600 pounds of food.
It's not a new idea, Niqinik Nuatsivik Nunavut Food Bank board chair Stephen Wallick said, but it's a big one.
"Our publicity of the need up here, that there's lots of hungry people, is getting out to the south," Wallick said. "But this is quite a large donation that we haven't seen in a while. It's much appreciated. It probably will feed half of our distribution."
As the food bank focuses on providing emergency and supplemental support to its users, Lambrecht was surprised to learn that 65 families, or about 150 people, would benefit from his group's donation, which included staples such as flour, milk, canned pasta and canned fruit. Had the goods been purchased in Iqaluit, Wallick figures the food would have cost $2,500. The donation puts a big dent in $20,000 shortfall the food bank announced earlier this month.
"This is definitely going to help us get through that period around Christmas when more families come to town, and households get larger with more people," he said.
Plus, because Lambrecht discussed the donation ahead of time, the boxes include items that are in demand.
"This is the food that is liked by many clients, that's pre-prepared but in a healthy sense," Wallick said. "It's a healthy, quick meal to put together. Instant rice, everybody likes it. The rice we give out is good but takes 20 minutes to cook, and we find the instant rice goes a lot faster."
Lambrecht hopes the idea catches on across the North.
"If there were enough people who would do this, with all of the flights that are going into the communities, if they're not maxing their baggage allowance, why not send a box with them?" he wondered.
"Seventy pounds per box, 140 per person, that's a lot of food," he said. "I packed two pairs of jeans. I'm easy, as long as I have a clean shirt and a clean pair of boxers."
The airlines may play the spoiler in his plan, though, with Canadian North announcing last month it is dropping its allowance to 50 pounds per bag. The lowest-priced Saver, Pivut and reward redemption seats will only get one bag free, states a May 31 news release from the airline.
First Air, which along with Sarvaq and its partner Nolinor provide discounts and free space for the food bank in its cargo holds, has not yet announced changes to its baggage allowances.
