The rows of canned goods and dry foods that line the shelves of the food bank at Newark Neighbours were bolstered by a big delivery on the weekend, with food donated as part of the Candlelight Stroll.

Volunteers carried in bag after bag packed with non-perishable food, which will help to fill the storeroom that serves almost 200 households in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Food bank manager Cindy Grant says the number of users, as well as the number of visits to the food bank, have swelled this year.

There are currently 195 registered users, compared to 87 in 2022. There have been 1,578 visits in just the first nine months of this year, compared to 918 visits to the food bank for the full year in 2022.

The food bank is open Tuesdays and Thursdays and while it typically gets about 20 visits on each of those days, on one day last week there were 47 clients served in one day. On average, the food bank gets 154 visits each month. 

In addition to donations of food and money, the food bank also relies on support from the community for gently used goods to sell in the thrift shop. All of the money from sales, after expenses, goes directly to the food bank.

Angela Lindfield, who is in charge of store operations, says the thrift shop needs donations of clothing in good condition, small household appliances, dishes, bedding and home decor items.

Unfortunately, a lot of the things that are donated can’t be sold in the store, such as electronics, books, CDs, used toys, strollers and furniture. Those things have to be redirected to other charities, which takes a lot of time and effort from the more than 100 volunteers who keep everything running.

A complete list of what the store needs can be found on the website, newarkneighbours.ca/thrift-shop. Lindfield says if anyone is unsure about something they’re thinking of donating, staff are happy to advise. 

This Christmas, the food bank will distribute 140 Christmas hampers. Parents who are registered can shop for gifts for their children that have been donated by the community. 

Newark Neighbours will be closed for the holidays from Dec. 22 to Jan. 1. Donations for the thrift shop will pause as well, to resume in the new year.