Penticton Salvation Army pastor Paul Trickett has been serving communities for 23 years and he’s never seen things as dire as they are this year.
“I equate it to an explosion,” said Trickett. “We are seeing family after family, all new faces from seniors, young couples to single parents needing our food bank.”
Inflation has hit everyone hard and many are finding themselves unable to pay bills and put food on the table, he said. Volunteers at the Salvation Army in Penticton have noticed the need for support even higher than it was during COVID, he said.
The church’s annual kettle campaign is down in donations this year but what is most shocking is their mail-out campaign is down by 50 per cent.
“We had one senior couple who have donated a cheque for 10 years. When I opened their letter, there was no cheque but instead, they were asking for help for themselves. That one really hit me,” said Trickett.
He delivered a Christmas hamper to them including a turkey.
It’s stories like theirs that the Salvation Army keeps encountering with so many struggling.
“We are bracing for it to get worse into 2024,” he added.
The local Salvation Army distributes more than 500 hampers every month to needy individuals and families in addition to over 2,000 people accessing the food bank every month.
The pool of people able to donate is dwindling and the amount people can afford to donate is down even for people making decent money, he added.
A lawyer who gave $1,000 every year could only donate $300 this year, he said.
The local service agency had to make the difficult decision to cut some families this season from the adopt-a-family program because they didn’t get as many people signing up this Christmas to help.
He’s suggesting that businesses get together and pool their money to adopt a family.
“When my wife and I took over five years ago in Penticton, we were overloaded with food and donations. Now the demand is way up for our services and the donations are down.”
One positive is volunteerism is up, especially with the kettles, he said.
READ MORE: The 2023 Kettle campaign kicks off
Trickett doesn’t want to sound alarming, but he is getting worried about what the near future will hold for vulnerable people in the community.
“I think people were aware that inflation was here but I don’t think people were prepared at how hard it would hit. And next year many people’s mortgages are up for renewal and that’s worrisome.”
Trickett said during these difficult times people need to look out for their neighbours, be kind to one another and do little things.
His ask for the new year is to not forget that the needs of those Salvation Army serves are 365 days a year, not just at Christmas.
They will be holding to Christmas Eve services - one at 10:30 a.m. and a candlelight service at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome.