Image: Courtesy of Don Armstrong (July 26) / Almost bare shelves of baby food.

By Laurice Gomes

Food Bank

Salvation Army Chilliwack extends helping hand to Lytton; in desperate need of baby food for local pantry

Jul 27, 2022 | 6:00 AM

CHILLIWACK — Salvation Army Chilliwack staff and volunteers packed up their emergency disaster services van with crates of water and baby food, as they prepared to head to Lytton Tuesday morning.

Don Armstrong, food bank coordinator, said he received a phone call from one of the reserves in Lytton a couple of days ago that said they were out of baby food.

“Food Banks BC got a hold of me and asked if I could get a deal at one of the grocery stores,” Armstrong said. “So, we bought it at cost.”

Additionally, Armstrong said Nestle donated 40 pallets of water over the course of a few months.

Image: Courtesy of Don Armstrong (July 26) / Cases of water loaded in the van en route to Lytton.

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“So, for the last three weeks or so, we’ve been running water up to Lytton, Griffin Security, all the outreach people in the province,” he said. “Anyone who’s been going out and making sure everyone who is homeless at least has water to drink.”

Armstrong said the team is always touched by the gratitude when people receive the items in Lytton.

“When you start to hand out the water and the baby food, the people are so thankful for what we’re doing and getting it up there to them,” he said.

While the Salvation Army Chilliwack works to the best of their abilities to lend a helping hand to anyone who asks for help, the situation looks grim in their own domain.

“Our food bank is dwindling really quickly,” Armstrong said. “Right now, we’ll take anything that people can give us; we’re that low.”

He stressed the urgency of baby food, as any remaining items were taken up to Lytton. Armstrong added that a food drive specifically for baby food was in the works.

“Because we are a food bank, we help out other agencies such as Better Beginnings, Ann Davis Transition House, Wilma’s Transition House—all those people come to us for baby food,” he said. “When they come, and we have nothing, it hurts them too.”

To assist the Salvation Army Chilliwack with replenishing their baby food supply, people can call (604) 792-0001.