Lakeside Community Church is hoping to help Knock Out Hunger in Salmon Arm and they’re asking for help.
On Saturday, Oct. 29 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., teams from the church will knock on doors throughout the community asking for non-perishable food items for the Salvation Army Food Bank.
“We’re keeping our heads above water considering how many people are coming in daily,” says Dave Byers, Salvation Army community co-ordinator. “Our numbers are always up, as more and more people are finding it hard to make it these days.”
Byers says a lot of newer clients are families in which adults are working two jobs and still struggling.
Not only are people finding it difficult to make ends meet, even with two part-time jobs at minimum wage, Byers says people are sometimes considered to be easily dispensable.
“I heard of one guy working in a food store and a restaurant; he told the restaurant he couldn’t take a shift because he was at his other job and they let him go,” says Byers, noting some places such as MacDonalds do there best to work around a person’s schedule.
Byers says many people are finding the times really tough and the food he receives doesn’t last very long.
“I need a grocery store to step up to the plate and give me a good deal on ground beef because I’m nearly out of meat,” Byers says. “Maybe there’s a farmer who wants to give us a cow and we’ll pay for the butchering, or maybe a butcher will help out too.”
Residents who wish to participate in collecting food for Knock Out Hunger are asked to call Lakeside Community Church Tuesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 250-832-9142.
Pastor Ken Dryden is hoping there will be more than 20 teams of four people this year and asks that volunteers phone the church to register prior to the event.
Teams will meet at the Salvation Army Church at 191 Second Ave. SE at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 29.
Residents are asked to bag up some non-perishable items and have them ready when volunteers knock on their doors between 5:30 and 8:30 p.m.