Salvation Army in Dartmouth Comes Together for Their Community

Long before the pandemic began, Salvation Army food bank volunteers in Dartmouth, N.S., have been coming together each Monday to prepare food boxes for struggling members of their community. Each week, an average of 10 volunteers prepare up to 35 food boxes for distribution in the afternoon.

But as more people face food insecurity due to job loss, they have only increased the number of orders while adding a delivery service.

“I’m going to eat today”

In May, it became apparent to The Salvation Army Maritime Division that many people who are in need don’t have a safe, reliable form of transportation to their local Salvation Army food bank. Since then, the division has implemented a delivery service at each location across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. For the Dartmouth community, this new option has become a staple.

“According to the feedback received from the clients, they are very grateful,” says Jan Keats, community services coordinator. “It is common to hear comments such as ‘I don’t know what to say but thank you’ and ‘I’m going to eat today.’ Many will call just to offer thanks for the food they received.”

While the days can seem long with the added service, this doesn’t deter the dedicated team of volunteer from coming out to support their community.

“We can help offset their food costs”

“We can’t meet all the needs, but we can provide a substantial amount of food to help offset their costs,” says Lieutenant Shelley Oseil, leader of The Salvation Army in Dartmouth. “Especially during this challenging time of COVID-19.”

Across Canada, more than 130,000 volunteers are helping The Salvation Army bring hope to those who need us the most.

By Jan Keats