The Olive Tree now has a new warehouse to store its food and other supplies for the food bank.
Located at 5114 – 63 Street, in the Glenn E. Neilsen Industrial Park, the new facility has 9,600 square feet of storage space to handle the over $1.1 million in food the non-profit distributes across the community.
Becky Schille, CEO, shares the need for growth as the previous space in the Fred North Centre was some 900 square feet.
“The need is definitely growing. We are getting more and more people applying for food supports. A lot more middle-class people are using our food supports. Having this space gives us the opportunity to accept larger donations, provincial sharing, and have some room to work.”
Schille credits the work of Rebecca Lett who coordinated the smaller space at the previous location to support the foodbank effort.
The furniture for the Homebase program to support clients finding temporary shelter is also being stored at the warehouse, and plans are in the works for using the space to support the Gift of Christmas project.
Mayor Gerald Aalbers is also reflecting on the growth of The Olive Tree over its 10-years of operation, and the role the new warehouse will have in food rescue and storage.
“People that want to make donations to this organization, they can accept them now. To organize themselves, we have got pallet racking, coolers, freezers. If it’s an old cow that a farmer wants to have donated and ground into ground beef. They’ll take it. So, there are opportunities for the entire community to support this organization.”
Visiting for the ribbon-cutting occasion was the executive director of Foodbanks Alberta, Shawna Bissell. The provincial group helps with operations, training, and grants and funding to 113-member foodbanks in Alberta.
“We have a great relationship with The Olive Tree which is very self-supporting. They do a great job of meeting the needs of Lloydminster,” said Bissell.
Provincially, Bissell adds that the needs of foodbanks are changing due to issues of affordability and food insecurity.
“Foodbank usage is increasing exponentially in the province. We are serving more people than we have ever served before. We are serving more people that have full-time employment and they are just not making enough money to make ends meet,” said Bissell.
There are five places in Lloydminster where The Olive Tree serves clients including its Fred North Centre, Lloydminster Gospel Fellowship Church, First Baptist Church, Southridge Church, City Church, and a foodbank in partnership with churches in Onion Lake.
