WCFAC: Second COVID winter may be challenge

WEST CARLETON – The start of the COVID-19 outbreak in 2019 brought out the goodness in the West Carleton community as support for the West Carleton Food Access Centre (WCFAC) went up while demand, amazingly, went down.

Long-time WCFAC chair Mary Braun and vice-chair Sharon Roper says, as the pandemic enters its second winter, they are expecting that demand to grow this year as inflation skyrockets and the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) is no more.

“It all depends,” Braun told West Carleton Online from the WCFAC in the basement of the West Carleton Community Complex at Carp and Kinburn Side roads last week (Nov. 4). “Now it’s started to pick up again. CERB has stopped. We’re seeing clients are coming back. A few clients have passed on. Others have gone to the next step.”

Even the shoppers of the WCFAC have noticed the increase in food costs.

“They call us the ‘thrifty shoppers,” Roper said. “The price of food has definitely gone up. We’re searching the flyers, contacting grocery store managers. We’re hearing there are some supply issues.”

But there are also some helping hands, as Hudson’s Fresh Produce recently dropped off a pile of spuds.

“We want to thank everybody for their kind donations,” Braun said. “Hudson’s recently dropped off 500 pounds of potatoes.”

For clients, COVID-19 continues to create a variety of issues the WCFAC has had to work around.

“We’re still doing curbside pick-up,” Braun said. “Until March anyway, and then we will revisit it. Nobody is allowed in this entire building unless they are double-vaccinated.”

Meanwhile, the WCFAC has launched its annual Christmas Basket and Angel Tree programs.

““The WCFAC will once again be organizing the annual Christmas Basket Program to help our neighbours and friends who need assistance at Christmas time,” Braun said. “All of us at times find it difficult to make ends meet and Christmas time can be especially difficult. However, if we all work together, we can ensure that everyone can have a joyous Christmas celebration.”

If you find that you would like extra help this Christmas and are a resident of West Carleton, please contact the WCFAC in strictest confidence at 613-832-5685. Leave a message with your name and contact number and a volunteer will return your call to make the necessary arrangements with you.

The deadline for requests is around mid-December.

This year, due to COVID-19, the WCFAC is asking that donations are of gift cards for local stores, grocery stores, and stores that sell toys, or monetary donations that will be used toward the purchase of gift cards.

“Our clients who register for assistance will be give a time to pick up a package of gift cards which will be equivalent to the value of a traditional food basket and gifts,” Roper said.

Donations can be mailed to:

West Carleton Food Access Centre,
5670 Carp Rd.
Kinburn, ON.
K0A 2HO.

Etransfers can be sent to wdfoodaid@gmail.com. All monetary donations of $20 or more will receive a tax receipt. The WCFAC continues to accept food donations as well, but asks donators check the expiry date of the food donated, as the WCFAC is prohibited from distributing food to clients that is expired.

WCFAC volunteers will also make themselves available to pick up donations if you contact the organization at 613-832-5685.