South East Helping Hands hoping for support from community at Pioneer Days Parade

The Pioneer Days Parade is coming up on Friday, August 4, and with it comes tin for the bin. 

When asked how the food bank would benefit if everybody at the parade brought just one can, Ken Dyck with South East Helping Hands (SEHH) said it would be a huge help. 

“That would be amazing. I've wished for that already for a bunch of years.” 

He notes that now they also collect cash during the parade.  

“So if you forget (a tin), we will take cash, coins, whatever you've got.” 

Dyck says there are a few items that would be extra helpful for people to bring. 

“This last week we ran out of mixed vegetables and we're always looking for cereal. We give out approximately almost 400 (cereal boxes) every two weeks, so you know how fast that disappears.” 

Many families rely on the food bank, and the number is going up. 

Dyck says they are currently helping between 350 to 400 families every two weeks. 

“Plus we have emergency hampers that we do during the week yet, so I'm sure it's pretty close to the 400 mark.” 

He says that the numbers are very likely to go up between now and Christmas. 

“We'd like it if they wouldn't, but the need is always there and it's just getting greater. The biggest topic I hear is the price of groceries, it's on everybody's mind and the prices are up there.” 

At the Pioneer Days Parade, SEHH will have a tractor and trailer, a van, and people walking the street with shopping carts, so they will have plenty of room to collect the community’s donations. 

If you would like to donate non-perishable food items or money, you can either bring them to the parade or to the SEHH building itself. 

They always have people available to take donations at the food bank from Mondays through Thursdays until at least 3pm in the afternoon. 

They also have a drop-off slot in the front door, where you can put envelopes any time. 

With files from Dave Anthony