Good news came to the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre following a provincial funding announcement made on Thursday.

To help ease demand and pressures, the provincial government revealed that they will be providing Saskatchewan’s 36 food banks with $2 million over the next two years, and the Saskatoon Food Bank will be receiving 35 per cent of it.

That from Laurie O’Connor, Executive Director of the Food Bank. She says the province hasn’t attached many strings to the funding, so food banks can use it in whatever department they see fit, whether that be programming or food purchase.

She adds that in recent months, up to 25,000 visitors were recorded at the Saskatoon Food Bank. She explains that roughly 40 per cent of Saskatoon Food Bank users are children, compared to the national average of about 33 per cent.

“School lunch programs or snack programs that might be going on (during the school year) are shuttered, and so families have the additional stress of that additional food in their budget. We definitely see usage come up during the summer months.”

She says between food prices, the cost of living, and increased utility bills thanks to the heat, she doesn’t expect the number of food bank users to drop anytime soon, so donations are always welcome.

For anyone wanting to make a donation, O’Connor says the most sought-after items are cereals, soups, stews, baby food and formula.