Things have been picking up lately at Southeast Helping Hands and they're in need of community help.

"The needs are going up and we've got more people coming," says Operations Manager Ken Dyck. "With gas prices, interest rates, food, and everything going up, it's going to make it tighter for everyone's budget. Those that were on the verge may soon be coming to see us, even just for a little while. That's what we're there for."

There is an upcoming event that Dyck says can have a major positive impact on the food bank.

"The parade day. Bring a tin for the bin," he encourages. "I've harped on this for a long time, if everyone would bring just one can, for the number of people that we have watching the parade, we'd fill up the food bank. One can for each person. When you're giving your kids a bag, put some cans in and when our shopping cart comes by, drop it off. Steinbach has been absolutely amazing, we've got people helping us all the time and the support is great."

Some key items needed according to Dyck, "we always need all kinds of things. Cereal is a big thing. Canned vegetables, we're pretty short on most of that as a rule. Canned meat. Those types of items."

Dyck says if you do go shopping and pick up some items to donate, there are a few places you can drop them off.

"Both Sobeys and Superstore, we have bins there. Buy something and drop it off there," he says. "We have people go every day to check out the bins. We also have one in front of our door and we check it constantly."

Regardless of the size of donation, Dyck says it is appreciated a lot.

"Every donation matters," he says. "Every little bit helps."

Related Stories