WESTLOCK – Demand for a food basket program that provides families and individuals with food security at affordable prices has jumped in the last year.
The WeCan Food Basket Society is run by volunteers and is a non-profit organization that provides fresh produce and meat at warehouse prices.
“We have seen an increase,” said Pam Kawulych, Westlock Depot Coordinator, adding that they started 10 years ago with 23 orders and now have about 90 orders a month.
A membership to WeCan costs $5 a year. A produce basket order is $15 and includes three types of fruits and three types of vegetables. A meat basket order is $20 and consists of two to three fresh or frozen meats. There is also a no-pork option.
Members prepay for their food baskets at the start of the month and then pick them up towards the end of the month, usually around the third. week.
Sometimes orders are placed for others as gifts to help them out, said Kawulych. Last month’s order had a donation of $450 that helped Westlock WeCan create a larger produce order, according to Jennifer Scherer, WeCan board chair person. Tax receipts are issued for all donations.
Kawulych said she and other volunteers started the Westlock WeCan in December 2014. At the time, Barrhead had a WeCan but Westlock didn’t. Kawulych visited the senior ladies who were operating the Barrhead WeCan and that’s when she said to herself, “I can do this.” Ten years later, she still continues to coordinate the Westlock WeCan.
“I continue because I see how it has blessed the community,” she said.
In December, pick-up day was on Dec. 20 at the Westlock Gospel Chapel with more than a dozen volunteers on hand to help. The volunteers included: Pam Kawulych, Martin Meindertsma, Nancy Machetchuk, Norma Betts, Wray Betts, Maggine Adamuv, James Turnball, Roberta Turnball, Melba Nelson, Aaron Klyne, Lynette DuToit, Irene Panting, Sharon Kryvenchuk, Joan Wade, Karen and Lonnie Brown, Shari Reach, Ken Strange, Carol Van Ruskenveld, and Donna and Jim Ellefson.
According to WeCan’s website, there are 20 WeCan depots hosted by churches, parent link centres, and other groups throughout Edmonton and the surrounding area, serving more than 500 families.
Anyone wanting to sign up for WeCAn food baskets can go to www.wecanfood.com, email [email protected], or call Pam, the Westlock depot coordinator, at 780-307-7760.
