By Madeline Kerr
If you want to give help to others, cash is king.
That’s the message from Cédric Tessier, the executive director for Centraide Outaouais, a local food aid organization, who told the Low Down: “At this time of the year, the best way to help us is to make a donation online.”
Marie-Pier Chaput, the director general of another local food aid organization, Le Grenier des Collines in Val-des-Monts, echoed that sentiment. She said her organization appreciates all of the food donations that it receives, but cash donations offer Le Grenier greater flexibility to purchase the food they need. She explained that often the food bank receives discounts for bulk purchases, meaning that a cash donation can go even further than you think.
“Inflation has caused real financial problems for people in the lower middle class and they now need services they didn’t need before,” Tessier said.
Centraide, which is often known as United Way in other parts of Canada, is a federation of nonprofit organizations that seeks to combat poverty and improve lives for some of the most vulnerable in society. It provides money and services to 88 community agencies, Tessier explained, which have all seen an increase in demand this year.
That increase means that this year the organization, which is headquartered in Gatineau, helped 88,000 people, according to Tessier – that’s roughly 20 per cent of the region’s population.
Tessier confirmed that supply has risen too.
“We collected 3.8 million dollars last year and this year, our goal is 4 million dollars,” he said. “We don’t know yet if we will reach that goal, but we’re on the right path to reach it.”
Tessier encouraged folks who want to give to Centraide Outaouais to consider entering the 50/50 draw on the organization’s website, where regular donations can also be made.
Linda Bardell, a volunteer with the Wakefield Food Pantry and Community Fridge, said that her organization, which runs out of the Shepherd of Good Hope church on Riverside Drive in Wakefield, has seen a lot of new faces this year, including an influx of young families.
While demand has gone up, Bardell said jokingly, “we don’t need crowd control yet.”
That’s because donations have been able to rise to meet the needs of the community. The Food Pantry was collecting cash and non-perishable donations on Dec. 9 at this year’s annual Wakefield Christmas Market and Bardell said, while she didn’t want to disclose the exact amount, “we did extremely well and we’re very happy.”
Food can be dropped off any time at the Wakefield Community Fridge located outside the Shepherd of Good Hope. The most desirable items are fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as commercially packaged meals and meat before its “best date.” Condiments, soups and homemade goods like jams and baking should not be donated to the Fridge.
Bardell said the organization is also welcoming donations by e-transfer to gsw@anglicansinthehills.ca. Be sure to write “food pantry: in the memo.
Food banks across the country are seeing an all-time high of people using their services. According to a recent study by Food Banks Canada, 2023 saw the highest food bank usage since the company began collecting data in 1989.