It was smiles all around Thursday as staff and volunteers at the Salvation Army’s Lighthouse Shelter opened a new addition to the building – the food bank.
The food bank moved from its home of many years on Second Avenue NE to its new location at 441 Third St. NE, now under the banner of Lighthouse Community Ministries.
Inside the former Department of National Defence Armoury is the existing 16-bed homeless shelter, with the food bank taking the place of the former thrift shop.
In cutting the ribbon, Capt. Sheldon Feener expressed gratitude for the community’s support of the shelter and food bank.
“Last year the community was wonderful to us….”
Lunch will continue to be served Wednesdays at the food bank’s former location.
At its new home, breads, vegetables, fruit and some tinned and packaged foods are available every day, but people must make an appointment for Tuesday or Thursday to meet with staff and sign up for a hamper. The hampers are given out every six weeks.
Feener and his spouse Sharon point out that no one will be sent away empty-handed if they’re in need of food because the front table is always stocked.
Along with the food bank, the building now houses a coffee area with chairs and tables where people can come in and enjoy a coffee and relief from the cold.
The coffee area will open at 8 a.m. Monday through Friday.
Mondays and Fridays it will close at noon, Tuesdays and Thursdays it will be open till 2 p.m. and Wednesdays it closes at 11 a.m.
The shelter portion of the building opens at 6:30 nightly and shuts down in the morning at 7:30.
Asked about needs, Feener says the shelter can use ready-made suppers that can be re-heated either in a microwave or oven. Because the shelter doesn’t have a commercial oven or the fire suppressants required for cooking, it can only warm up pre-made dinners. However, it has acquired a large freezer, so has the capacity to store meals.
If you’d like to contribute, call the Lighthouse Community Ministries at 250-832-9196 or drop by the shelter next to the indoor arena and Safeway.