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Q.
Can any person just walk up to the Community Services Village and get food - no questions asked?
A.
All clients of the Food Bank must go through a rigorous screening process. Clients are most frequently referred by their social worker, church or other community agency.
Q.
Are people who really don't need the food always getting it (i.e. people who drive nice cars, wear nice clothes are always in line to get hampers)?
A.
The Community Services Village provides an emergency food service. Anybody can find himself or herself in financial crisis. "If you have just been laid off, would you sell your car or use it to get another job?"
Q.
Is it only "lazy" people with no jobs who get food from the Community Services Village?
A.
The Community Services Village serves a very diverse cross section of people in the community including seniors, single parents, recent immigrants and many others. Many of the clients are working poor. When making minimum wage, many clients have to have at least two jobs and still cannot make ends meet.
Q.
Is the Community Services Village constantly wasting food - "I've seen food thrown out in the garbage behind the warehouse"?
A.
The Community Services Village will only distribute quality food. Our volunteers feel that if they would not eat the food, they will not give it to clients. Often best before codes have expired before we receive the product. In the interests of safety, these products are sometimes discarded.
Q.
Does the Community Services Village only hand out "hampers" to individuals and families? They do not provide any other services?
A.
The Food Bank refers clients to a variety of agencies that can help them in their situation. In addition the food bank operates an adult learning centre which provides individuals with an opportunity to gain employment readiness training. We also offer an array of other programs intended to give people a hand-up instead of just a hand-out.
Q.
Does the Community Services Village spend a lot of money on salaries because there are so many people working at the warehouse?
A.
Primarily volunteers operate the Community Services Village. The village has over 30 volunteers per day, who are working to keep the doors open, while hired staff members manage the warehouse and administration.
Q.
Does the Community Services Village duplicate services offered by other organizations in the community?
A.
The Food Bank works with many partner organizations to deliver services in collaboration with them to avoid duplication. This includes institutions such as SIAST and numerous community-based organizations. The Food Bank’s approach is also unique as a result or providing a mix of programs and services in one location.
Q.
Is the Community Services Village location far removed from the areas of the city that need it most?
A.
The new Community Services Village site is located less than 1km from the former location. While it may have moved further away from North Central, it is now situated near the Ring Road and closer to many other areas of the city where families use the services of the Community Services Village. Access for many is now much easier. In addition, the Community Services Village works with numerous neighbourhood organizations as referral and distribution agencies to provide services in selected neighbourhoods.
Q.
Is the ongoing operations of the Community Services Village funded by the government and the United Way?
A.
The Regina & District Food Bank does not receive any core operating funds from any level of government or from any government department to support its food distribution programs. It does; however receive a small grant to assist with its educational programs from the City of Regina, which also provides a tax-exempt status to the Food Bank. The Food Bank is not a United Way member agency and doesn’t receive any funding from that source. The Food Bank is seeking support for its capital campaign from both the provincial and federal governments.
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