Niverville Helping Hands has its hands full with a significant increase in clientele as of late.

Chair Person Lillis Corriveau says the increase has resulted from jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’ve seen an increase of at least 50%,” says Corriveau, “and we anticipate it to be potentially more when government subsidies sort of dry up.”

According to Corriveau, the charity’s food hampers have gone up from between 8 and 16 to no less than 25 every two weeks.

Much of this increase has been mitigated by the creation of the Love Niverville Project which involves all the local churches and is being financed by a generous businessman.

ger Meats, and then we got another donation of 52 turkeys from Grannies and the Manitoba Turkey Producers.”

The sudden donation of turkeys prompted the charity to put together a 'Christmas in June' package containing stuffing, mash potatoes, and gravy. Corriveau says the donation left many of the volunteers and clientele teary-eyed.

“It’s overwhelming,” offers Corriveau, “the support that these communities have for each other just to make sure everybody is taken care of is fantastic.”