Darcy Reimer has seen ebbs and flows in the relationship between the Squamish Food Bank and Community Christmas Care in the 15 years he’s been involved with the latter organization.
With significant member overlap between the groups when he started, they worked nearly in lockstep, Reimer recently recalled, to the point where Community Christmas Care would use the food bank’s vehicle for its pick-ups.
However, over time and with new arrivals to the community who were not as familiar with the collaboration between the organizations, there were periods when they worked separately, Reimer said.
But currently, the two organizations are working closely once again.
“The sense of teamwork...is growing,” said Reimer, the lead pastor at The River Community Church. “It’s becoming more and more healthy as we go forward.”
Former interim food bank manager and current volunteer Gord Lyster, who has been involved with the food bank for roughly the past year, said the 2019 Christmas season went smoothly between the two groups.
“It’s a good operating relationship. We co-ordinated things well together, so it was a win-win for both groups because we’re serving the same people,” he said. “The objectives are the same.
“During their Christmas run, we do not go and pick up from the grocery stores like we normally do. We allow them to do the pick-ups and use that in their hampers.”
Reimer said currently members of each group’s camps are regularly attending the other’s events to provide an extra boost.
Reimer said Community Christmas Care has a core group of about 15 volunteers that are part of the team starting in September to take on tasks from processing applications, managing the website and completing bulk food orders.
A second wave of roughly 75 volunteers comes in closer to Christmas to pick up toys and food, setting up the depot and executing delivery day.
Should COVID-19 precautions extend into the fall and winter seasons, Reimer said Community Christmas Care’s operations could be affected, though the need will be great as well.
“We may have to meet earlier than September to try to figure this out, do a few Zoom meetings with our food bank folks and see where their need’s at,” he said. “If we’re still in the social isolation stage, we’re really going to have to put some thought into, ‘What’s this going to look like and how can we continue with Community Christmas Care?’”
Reimer noted that the group delivered approximately 300 hampers in each of the past two years, but anticipates that could spike this year.
Reimer added that the changing demographics in the community suggest that those with a greater ability to give back are doing so, noting an increase in the quality of toys being donated.
Meanwhile, the food bank and its 15-to-20 volunteers are working alongside Squamish Helping Hands to help residents stay fed during the pandemic. The food bank switched to pre-packed hamper delivery from its pick-up model as of April 20, and will seek to serve residents five days a week.
“It’s a different world today as far as distancing and isolation,” Lyster said. “The volunteers have been spectacular. We’re working with reduced people but more shifts, so we’re keeping our distance from everyone. The community is stepping up big, big time with donations, not only with food donations, but what is really helpful to us is gift cards.”
Lyster noted that Your Independent Grocer and Nesters Market, in particular, are accepting gift cards for food bank participants while making significant food donations.
