REGINA -- Local non-profit organizations have been receiving significant support from the public throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and some are sharing the importance of that support continuing long term.
The Regina Food Bank has been busier than normal during the pandemic. It’s seen about a 60 per cent increase in the number of people its serving every day.
“A lot of those are new people that we’ve never seen before – people that would never have thought that they’d need to use a food bank,” John Bailey the CEO of the Regina Food Bank said. “The economic pressures of the time are sending them our way and we’re happy to be there, and proud to be able to serve our community in this time of need.”
The community has stepped up to support the food bank with donations of food, money and volunteer hours.
The Walsh Acres/Lakeridge/Garden Ridge Community Association donated $10,000 last week, which Bailey said is a great example of neighbours helping neighbours.
“That impact will allow us to get food for people in the city for three or four days, and that’s three or four days more breathing room than we had before,” he said.
The YWCA Regina has also seen increased support from the community during the pandemic.
“Our donations in general are more than normal. We’ve had an incredible response from the community,” CEO Melissa Coomber-Bendtsen said.
The support has allowed the YWCA to continue helping women and families in need safely, as they’ve made modifications to allow physical distancing and enhanced cleaning throughout the pandemic.
Both organizations are graciously accepting the help they’ve been receiving, but they’re also constantly thinking about what the future will look like.
“We need to make sure that everybody is aware that the support they’re giving us now is incredible, but our need for support is not going to go away for months, if not years,” Bailey said.
The YWCA is expecting to be even busier once the pandemic is over, as it anticipates a higher number of people navigating homelessness, poverty and domestic violence when things go back to normal.
Spring and Summer are typically when many charities host fundraisers, and the Regina Food Bank and YWCA are no exception.
The Regina Food Bank says it has already had to cancel some smaller third party fundraiser events, and the YWCA has indefinitely postponed its Women of Distinction event. The Walk a Mile in her Shoes event held every September is still up in the air.
Without the funding coming from fundraisers, the organizations will be relying on support from the public to help more people.
“We rely on those events, so we’re hoping the community continues to support us in the way that they’re doing right now,” Coomber-Bendtsen said.
Final decisions on future fundraisers will be made as the province releases more information on the Re-open Saskatchewan plan. The Regina Food Bank and the YWCA Regina are hoping the community’s support continues when they’ll need it most.
