“I still remember the very first customer that came through the door,” Food for All is in Altona today – PembinaValleyOnline.com

Today we’re doing it all again with Food for All at the Sun Valley Co-op food store in Altona. We are on location from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm to support the Rhineland and Area Food Bank. Hear the latest reports and your call to work with us on CFAM Radio 950, Eagle 93.5FM and Country88. Every dollar raised stays in the community and can be purchased for pre-loaded grocery gift cards.

Angelika Stoesz has been working at the food bank since its founding 27 years ago.

“The Flood of ’97 prompted us to open when we did, because they had a flood center in Altona, and in the spring, when everything was done, they had a lot of surplus food, and they asked if we wanted that, and we said yes,” Stoesz reflected on how the organization got started. “So in May ’97 we opened our doors, and on the first day we had three customers. That’s increased significantly now.”

Very significant indeed. Compared to 2022, the Rhineland and Region Food Bank experienced a 35% increase in the total number of customer visits in 2023, with a total of 2,638 customer family visits. That averaged 52 per week, compared to 38 per week in 2022. Until March this year, the average Food Bank of Rhineland and Area is 57.

“We’ve definitely added more volunteers per shift to help with that,” she explained. “I think the really good news is that we live in a great community and the support is great. When you go from 38 customers a week to almost 60 customers a week, you buy a lot more groceries. I know a few weeks ago we had 74 customers in a week, so it won’t take long before the shelves are empty.”

The Rhineland and Area Food Bank operates from a space at 162 Center Avenue East in Altona. It is open Monday morning from 10am to 11am and Monday evening from 7pm to 8pm.

“A customer only has to walk through our doors,” she says about the operation of the Food Bank. “We have a number system. They take a number and sit down. If they are new customers, they go to the intake desk and we complete a registration form with them. What we ask of them is proof of residence in the RM of Rijnland. The volunteer then guides them through the process. We have a menu system where they can choose what they want. I firmly believe that I don’t want to give you tomato soup if you hate tomato soup.”

As needs continue to grow, today marks a pivotal moment for Food for All for the group.

“As we all know, when you go to the grocery store, what you used to buy for a hundred dollars is a lot less, and it’s the same in our building,” Stoesz said. “We buy in bulk, so it’s always nice when we stock our shelves through a food drive that gives us a week or two where we don’t spend as much. It makes a big difference.”

You can listen to CFAM Radio 950 Morning Show Host Chris Sumner’s conversation with Angelika Stoesz below.