Food donations for residents and pets in Meadow Lake crowd the floor of the hosting organization, Eatery on Main. (Elliott Knopp/meadowlakeNOW Staff)

By Elliott Knopp

Thanksgiving Food Drive

Food drive supports local non-profits in time of need

Oct 15, 2021 | 5:52 PM

The Meadow Lake community’s giving spirit continued its impressive performance over the last 10 days by gathering food for residents and pets in the community.

At one of the most important times of the year, Eatery on Main hosted a Thanksgiving food drive for the second consecutive year with the Door of Hope and Meadow Lake & District Humane Society (MLDHS) set to receive all of the donations.

As the event prepared to wrap up on Friday, the floor of the restaurant was crowded with donations containing non-perishable food items, pet food and treats with even more supplies expected to come in from a local school.

Owner Kassidy Dunsing shared that the donations were on pace to match last year’s amount. This will provide the local non-profits with the supplies needed as they approach one of the busiest seasons of the year, she said.

“Christmas time is typically when you see a huge push for the Door of Hope, but I think it’s super important that we try our best to help them out all year round,” she said.

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“They feed 100 to 150 people every day, and I don’t think that’s very common knowledge.”

Food security has become a recurring issue in many communities across the country due to the pandemic, and Meadow Lake is no exception.

The Door of Hope has faced challenges with the frequency of donations as well as staff turnover, which has impacted the way it serves the community.

Executive director Natanis Bundschuh said the food drive provides the non-profit with essential support as it works to adapt to its latest tribulations.

“We are absolutely thrilled that our community has been supporting us the way they have been, especially when [Eatery on Main] calls us and tells us they’re taking donations on our behalf,” she said.

“Our pantry is quite empty right now, so it does make a significant impact on our ability to provide great services for the people that are coming in to see us.”

With the food bank currently operating without a manager, the issue of employment turnover has brought on difficulties with acquiring food for clients.

Bundschuh clarified applying for certain programs and grants that could help alleviate concerns with food intake becomes a struggle when there isn’t someone to oversee those applications.

Over at the MLDHS, the animal shelter has experienced high volumes of animals in its care throughout the year. An apparent increase of pets in need of care has led to the shelter operating at full capacity for the majority of the year.

Karlee Mazuren, a volunteer with the non-profit, stated the intake of food and treats will help ease some of the difficulties the volunteer-based service is facing with its high demand.

“This helps so much. Not only us, but lots of times when RCMP members, teachers or concerned individuals in northern communities bring us animals, we like to send food back with them for the other animals there,” she explained.

“We physically get benefit from all this food, but the animals in surrounding communities as well.”

The humane society has been involved with many pet transfers with other organizations, but also needs to maintain some free space for animals brought in by the Bylaw Department.

Mazuren explained the department has also been busy supplying work this year, adding the intake from them has contributed to keeping the facility at full capacity.

With the volunteers at the shelter working with the animals whenever they aren’t working, she mentioned going for food and treat runs often becomes an off-duty task as to not take away any care from the animals.

“A lot of us don’t have time to go to a store and buy treats before our shifts. We’re finishing our shift, then we’re rushing into our day job. We come home, we’re eating somewhere, then we’re rushing to the shelter to do the evening shift. That’s not even including vet runs, adoptions and other volunteers coming and going as you’re there. It’s so busy,” she said.

“For people to reach out and give us donations at any point in time is super appreciated, and I’m sure the animals will love all the treats too.”

Both the Door of Hope and the MLDHS are seeking help from volunteers. Anyone interested in lending the local non-profits a helping hand can fill out an application on the organization’s websites.

People looking for employment/volunteer opportunities with the Door of Hope can be reached online at https://mlom.ca/job-opportunities.

Those looking to offer support to the MLDHS can complete their application through Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mldhs.

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elliott.knopp@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @ElliottKnopp