This week, and over the weekend, the Daily Herald, along with other media organizations in Prince Albert are asking people to check their pantries and cupboards for extra food.
The Prince Albert Share A Meal/Food Bank is running short and they are getting concerned. The need is up and the amount of food in their storage is down - way down.
Where there used to be shelves filled with bags of pasta, cans of beans and boxes of crackers, there is more empty space than food.
It means when people, who are referred to the service and can't access it more than once a month, go for food, the amount usually handed out is cut back.
The food bank does hold an annual food drive in the fall, but this year, the food bank board is concerned the food they have won't last that long.
The media campaign is running from until June 21 and we are hoping people who can will donate something to the food bank.
Food donations can be brought to the Daily Herald at 30 10th St. E., where we have a huge box waiting to be filled in the lobby, or to the food bank, at 64 11th St. E., directly.
The food bank is hoping for any non-perishable food item or monetary donation, but they really need more pasta, canned soups, beans and fruits, and powdered milk. If people donate in large quantities, it will be divided up before it's handed out.
Food drives are often the best way to bring the community together and help people feel involved in the city.
I volunteered to pick up food during the food drive last fall, and conned two of my co-workers into helping me, dragging them out of bed early one Saturday morning.
I think I promised they would be done and back asleep within a couple of hours.
Apparently I didn't know what I was talking about.
Turns out, there was an endless amount of generosity among the people in Prince Albert.
We drove around for more than four hours receiving bags of food from people, some who were expecting us and others who weren't.
At one house, a woman invited me in while she found a grocery bag and began to fill it with items from her cupboards.
At a different location a woman first turned me away, saying she didn't have anything to give, but chased me down before I was able to reach the end of the driveway to give me her last half-bag of potatoes.
Sure there were a fair number that shut the door in our faces and others who didn't bothering opening it to begin with - yes, I saw people peaking through their blinds at me.
But for the most part, people seemed to realize how lucky they were to have food when they did and wanted to share their wealth, and basic right, with others.
In many cases, even people who use the food bank gave a couple of cans because at that moment when we came to the door, they had and wanted to share with someone who didn't.
I hope that by putting the call out to the public now, that we will see that generosity again.
So many good things can come from people having a full belly - children concentrate better in school, medications can be taken correctly, there is less crime, people with addictions will be less affected by their drug and it is easier to work or find work.
Most people don't realize how many positive outcomes there can be from a can of soup or box of macaroni.
But those who need it, do.
