2017 was a significant year for the Portage la Prairie Salvation Army.

On September 1st, Major Brenda Hammond took over as new Corps Officer. She says it was different for her to dive into a project right away.

"Usually I like to calm the waters. Generally I don't just jump in and start a renovation. It creates more ripples rather than getting things calmed down. The food bank is such a huge piece of our ministry in Portage, and how to best serve those folk, that would've been I think, some of the biggest challenges," Hammond says.

This year, the food bank was moved from the second floor down to the first to make it more accessible.

"Just being able to bring a donation in the door, and not have to run it up the stairs and all the issues around that... for the folk to bring in a donation and we can just wheel it over into the food bank, it just changed our whole world," says Hammond.

Hammond notes the new location of the food bank fits so well, that she feels in a few months time, it'll feel like it was always on the first level.