The food bank in Ste. Anne has been able to keep up with demand so far but that could change.

Armande Leclair, Manager of Accueil Kateri, says when she began volunteering there in May of last year, they had 35 households come for pick up every second Wednesday. Now, she says they serve up to 80 families every other week. "By households, I mean, it could be a single person, it could be a couple, it could be up to a family of six children and we have quite a few of those big numbers," Leclair explains.

Leclair notes one of the main reason behind the increase is simply with the steady increase in population, comes a higher demand for assistance. Accueil Kateri serves mostly the Town and the RM of Ste. Anne and even a few families from the RM of Reynolds. Leclair points out they do also work in conjunction with Southeast Helping Hands in Steinbach.

She adds, fortunately, they have been able to keep up so far. "In a way, we’re very lucky, people are generous in the community."

Leclair says each school in town did a very successful food collection this fall and the Richer School provided them with fresh vegetables from their school gardens.

"Up until now we’ve been okay," indicates Leclair, "but if this keeps up, it’s going to be hard to be able to give. We can’t give what we don’t have so maybe what they get every second week will not be as much as we were able to before."

Leclair says it's going to be especially critical as we head into the holiday season and with Christmas hamper delivery just around the corner.