August has proven to be another busy month for the Okotoks Food Bank as it prepares to help families send their kids back to school.

To help locals who may be feeling the financial pinch of purchasing necessities for school, the food bank is looking for items to pack for kids lunches.

Sheila Hughes, executive director of the Okotoks Food Bank, says she typically sees numbers rise at this time of year.

"It's probably going to be another record breaking month for us. Right now with a week left to go we've still handed out 98 hampers so we're looking at quite significant numbers," she explains. "I think August is a really tough month for families in general trying to get back to school, as well as September, so we have seen an increase most definitely."

Items the food bank is looking for in terms of back to school includes protein items, fruit snacks, toiletries, juice, peanut butter, jam, and cereal.

Hughes says they're having to do a great deal of grocery shopping lately.

"At the moment we are doing a lot purchasing, we're really fortunate that we're able to do that as we're supported very well, but we are purchasing a lot right now so we're looking forward to our community food drive that's coming up on September 16 and we're really hoping that'll help stock our shelves going into the Christmas season."

For a full list of other items the Okotoks Food Bank is looking for click here.

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