THEME: Real World

THEME: Relationships and Community Building

Lesson: The Regina and District Food Bank

Learning Outcomes:

. Students will learn about the role of the Regina and District Food Bank and discuss how they might assist in fighting hunger and poverty as individual citizens or as a school community

Essential Question: . What can we/I do to help fight hunger and poverty in Regina?

Level:  grades 9-12

Time:  1 x 15

Materials:  article attached

Procedures

1. Write the essential question on the board 2. Read the article below Putting food in the bank from the Regina Leader Post, October 21,2008 3. Tell students that the food bank has been incorporated since 1982 and is run by a volunteer board of directors. Their vision is to enhance human dignity by eliminating chronic hunger and alleviating poverty in our society. Anyone can use the food bank when his/her order is passed through a referral agency or by applying directly at the Food Bank. A person may receive an order once every fourteen days. Emergency, one-time-only baskets can be picked up without a referral. Proof of address (such as a power bill), as well as a hospitalization card for each family member, is required. If additional food baskets are required, customers will be connected with a referral agency. 4. The Regina and District Food Bank also has an Adult Centre for Employment Readiness Training, classes in pre-employment readiness, essential skill development, literacy skills, computer literacy, GED Preparation, as well as a lending library are available. 5. All of the food donated to the Food Bank is through volunteer donations. The ten most required non perishable food stuffs are powdered milk, juice, peanut butter, soup, canned meat or fish, canned stew, pork and beans, baby food, enfalac/similac, pasta 6. What can we do as individual citizens to help fight hunger and poverty in our city? What about as a school community? Putting food in the bank By Wayne Hellquist, CEO of the Regina and District Food Bank

It’s a dark irony of Saskatchewan’s economic boom; more jobs, record breaking retail sales, strong population growth and a growing number of hungry people showing up at the doors of the Regina and District Food Bank. The food bank is one of the city’s major charities and currently distributes about 100 tons of food each month to the thousands of people the boom left behind. They include the working poor, seniors, single parents and immigrants who are paying more for rent, groceries and other basics, leaving less money to put food on the table. Almost half of the 8000 plus people who use the food bank’s services each month are children, perhaps the most vulnerable group because sound nutrition in early life is strongly linked to educational attainment and long term wellness. These people are in genuine need of help and are most frequently referred by their social worker, church and other community agencies. It would perhaps be more understandable for those doing well in the current rosy provincial economic climate to forget about the less fortunate, but that’s not the Regina way. Schools, community groups, businesses, and ordinary citizens all pitched in at the weekend to collect more than 110 tons of food in a 24 hour period for the food bank. While the Great Food Fight fell a70 tons short of its goal of breaking the world record for the most food collected in a 24 hour period, it was a pretty outstanding performance that will keep the shelves stocked to meet the demand this coming winter. Though the food bank receives donations all year from individuals, community groups, businesses and others, the Great Food Fight is the single biggest food collection effort. Although the event is over, the Food Bank is still in need of non-perishable items which can be dropped off at any fire hall, Safeway store or at the food bank at 445 Winnipeg St. A lot of people are depending on the weekend’s goodwill to continue in the cold dark days ahead but we are confident Reginians won’t let them down.