2016 was another busy year for the Salvation Army in Portage la Prairie.  Major Brenda Coles says some people find it difficult to understand folks who utilize the food bank, noting it's not easy to ask for help.  Coles says their food bank normally sees about one hundred and eighty people come in each month and adds the generous folks in our city keep the shelves stocked so the Salvation Army is able to support these individuals who need help with food.  She notes some folks just need help for a little while, but there are others with more chronic problems who come to the food bank for longer periods of time.  

Coles adds this past year they've also tried to ensure the food they're distributing is healthy and fresh.  She says local farmers have been very supportive with this initiative, noting poverty often goes hand in hand with health problems so they're doing what they can to make things better.  Coles says the Salvation Army is seeing a lot more people suffering with mental health issues as well and they're trying to address those and build community by reducing the stigma associated with use of the food bank.  She adds it's important to not make the people they help feel like second class citizens or somehow less than anyone else in our community.

Coles says the Salvation Army also operates the "Neighbours Helping Neighbours" program which comes from Manitoba Hydro.  She notes it's for working people who are lower income and are really struggling to pay their bills.  Coles adds thirty different families participated in the program during the past year.  

She notes one highlight of 2016 was having groups of volunteers come in and do some painting and repair work in their building.  Coles says this is part of their plan to try and make it a space which has less stigma attached, adding the volunteers did a great job and everyone who came in after the redecoration was very pleased to see what a big difference it made.