Food bank serves Over 400 weekly AT 11:35 a.m. on food bank Wednesday, a line of mothers and strollers sits waiting for distribution to begin in a back room at Neighbourhood House. By Kate Zimmerman News Reporter The mothers are at the front of the line, some of them with more than one child scrambling over them. In an adjcining room others sit quietly while a queue of more of the North Shore hungry snakes down the hall. About 425 people a week — 130 of them children — are served by the North Shore Food Bank. ft distributed 49,500 kg (110,000 fbs.) of food last year. Families make up half the food bank’s client base, according to Therese MacNeil, director of development and communications. They don’t have to prove they’re in need; the fact that they’re there is proof enough. As the people wait, chatting volunteers — up to half of whom are also recipients — sort through supplies of cereal and apples, beans, peanut butter and bread, nacking boxes. “Most of the volunteers have been here for years,” said MacNeil. “it’s sort of a communal project for them.” Some of the food has been donated; some has been purchased with the $26,000 of donated money allocated to the North Shore each month. The opportunity to get free food at Neighborhood House aris- es three weeks out of four — rie local NEWS photo Cindy Goodraan THERESE MACNEIL, director of development for the food bank, said the need for free groceries continues to grow in the GVAD. The North Shore Food Bank distributed 49,500 kg (110,000 ibs.) of food last year to local residents. every week except the one in which Social Assistance cheques are distributed. “Eighty-five per cent of people who use the food bank, in the big picture, are welfare recipients,” said MacNeil. Once they’ve spent their cheques on rent, transportation and their children’s needs, she explained, there often isn’t much left over for food. There are also recipients who represent the legion of working poor. “This is supplemental food assistance,” said MacNeil, noting that it isn’t intended to replace grocery-buying. “It’s more to make the people’s money stretch.” The North Shore Food Bank has been operating since 1983. Like the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, it was meant to serve as temporary relief of the hunger cri- sis, but 11 years later it’s still here. Earlier this year financial stress at the food bank prompted a fund drive. The North Shore Food Bank managed to raise $300,000, which bought it time until this Christmas. At that point, its existence may once again be threatened. A North Shore without a source of free groceries would be a tough Adequate housing a big challenge SUE COOK points to the bright blouse she is wearing under her blazer and says, “I got this from the dumpster.” By Kate Zimmerman News Reporter “I'm really goad at going through dumpsters now.” she said. “I have no pride any more.” Cook, an unsuccessful candidate for school board in last year’s elec- tion, doesn’t sound the least bit self- pitying. She is elegantly dressed, having come te the News from her job representing children’s and musical acts. The last thing she looks 1s poor. Cook works on commission, but the focal music industry is in a slump. Her slide from middle to lower class began when she and her husband separated in 1983. His child support payments plus Cook’s income add up to a mere $20,000 a year for a family of four. Statistics Canada’s low-income cut-off figure CALL US: 983-2208 SUE COOK believes the District of North Vancouver ‘ hould make an effort to support the working poor. |” _ Those people) are not going to'go oto the system,” she. said. “The system is going to. have to. Bo to them, ina weird kind of, way.” > She suggests. the munteipality. could belp repair apartment buildings populated by low-income people. People like Cook, who are gratefal for the rents they have — which gre relatively low.fer the North Shore — don’t tend to complain when their apartments need repair or other iniprove- ments. “Are we worthless because we don’t have money?” she asked. “What about all the things we’re trying to do? “That’s what I think is so frightening in North Vancouver right now. it’s like, if you don’t have the money, you’re gone.” for a family of four is $31,017. “The big problem in North Vancouver is accommeadation,” said Cook, who grew up in an upper- middle-class household. “There’s a lot of us who really question how long we're going to be able to live here.” Her rent, for an apartment in Lynn Valicy, is $1,104. Cook rents outa room to help pay bills, and takes part-time jobs when she can find them. “Everyone in the complex hus at feast two jobs.” she said. “We are staying in North Vancouver because See Poverty page § SUE ( COOK, a former candi- date for North Vancouver School Soard, says slipping from upper middle class into poverty has taught her humil- ity and compassion. THIS WEEK’S QUESTION: How do you spend your time when you’re stuck in traffic? place to live for poor people with- out cars, particularly fragile seniors and rothers with children in tow. For them, the trek to the Greater Vancouver food bank would be particularly arduous. in any case, nothing suggests .the need is going to let up on the North Shore. “In my two years with the food bank, the demand has never decreased,” said MacNeil. SRE AEE (NEC MESON FPPC SNK ED index MB BuSineS............cceeeees 35 BS Classified... 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