FSJ Salvation Army looking for help due to increased need of services

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Jared Braun, executive director of the local Salvation Army, says the non-profit is looking for donations due to an uptick in demand over the summer.

The Salvation Army is looking for non-perishable food items, such as pasta, cereals and canned items.

Due to the increase in families needing help, they are also looking for snack items for kids to bring to school, like granola bars and dried fruit snacks.

Braun adds that the food bank can take perishable items, but due to the relationship with grocery stores, they don’t typically need milk, eggs, yogurt or even meat.

He says wild meat is something they love getting donated, though.

“It’s a nice thing for our guests, especially those that have different cultural factors,” he explained.

Additionally, fresh garden produce is always appreciated.

“This time of year, people are harvesting their garden. If they find they had an excess of carrots or potatoes, we’ll take them,” he said.

Financial donations can be made in person by cheque or cash, as well as online at www.safsj.org. Braun says monetary donations will be used for bulk purchases and items they don’t have.

Volunteers are also crucial in helping out the store and warehouse, says Braun. Those interested in helping out can find more information on the Salvation Army’s website.

“We’re all feeling the pinch with the cost of food and fuel. All those things have gone up for people that were already on the edge with their income and how far their money can stretch,” Braun said.

“It’s pushed people to a place that they need our supports when they may not have before.”

He says some of the new faces utilizing the Salvation Army’s services are families fleeing Ukraine.

These people are coming into the country and essentially having to start from scratch, Braun notes. Some of the families are large, with one report of a family of 12 kids.

Braun says most people they work with are either from the North Peace region or have a friend or family connection that brings them to the area.

“As to the rumours about people being bused up from Vancouver, we have no evidence or proof that that has happened or will be happening,” he said.

He says there may be a couple of people they help who have spent time in Vancouver but call the Peace region their home or have ties to the area through family or friends.

Braun believes this rumour is going around due to the new supportive housing facility in Fort St. John, with some individuals thinking people are being sent up to fill that building.

However, BC Housing is assisting supportive housing across the province.

To become a resident of the local building, they must meet some prerequisites, one of which is being a resident of the North Peace for a predetermined amount of time.

“Our main priority and the initial resident list is made up of people that have ties or roots in Fort St. John or the surrounding rural areas and some of the reserve communities,” said Braun.

He says the Salvation Army is not providing new space to deal with the challenges they’re dealing with in Vancouver.

B.C. housing is working on getting many housing solutions in Vancouver and across the province, Braun says.

“The growing homelessness issue is throughout the province, and I would imagine probably across the country,” he said.

Braun would like to add that if someone comes from another community and has no place to go, the emergency shelter is available to them as a stopgap.

“You can come to the emergency shelter, stay a night, stay a few nights, and then we can help you make connections to get back home or wherever else you’re going,” he said.