When it rains, it pours...right into the Okotoks Food Bank!

The economy slump in Alberta has directly impacted the community charities in the Foothills, causing the Okotoks Food Bank to see major increases in their usage over 2016.

Sheila Hughes, Executive Director for the Okotoks Food Bank says that 2016 has broken records.

"We have had a record number of families that we're helping, so it's been extremely busy." Hughes says "It's also been a very successful year. We have done a number of really great food drives, including feeding the Foothills - which we've done twice - the food drive in Sept. where we went door-to-door was extremely successful as well."

Since 2014 the usage at the Okotoks Food Bank has grown almost 100%, likely caused by community growth, and of course job losses in the economy.

Hughes says in 2016 alone they were up 33%.

"So we've seen an increase of 33% in the number of families that are coming to use the Food Bank." Hughes adds, "The real difference is if you compare that to 2014 which brings it up to a 96% increase."

With an increase in visitors there has to be an increase in staff or volunteers to ensure that the Okotoks Food Bank runs efficiently, Hughes says her greatest achievement was increasing the volunteer base.

"We've been able to include a larger number of volunteers in our organization this year. We have a new volunteer coordinator that we've brought on also, and having her on has been such a huge help - it's enabled us to include so many more people in the community."

The Okotoks Food Bank looks forward to 2017 as they're in the middle of collaborating with the Healthy Okotoks Coalition to put together a Community Garden, hoping that will help them get more people involved and providing fresh nutritious options for families in the Foothills.

Hughes says there may even be an option to provide an educational aspect for the schools as well.

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