New drive-thru food bank launched in Leamington

By Mark Ribble

LEAMINGTON — There is a new drive-thru food bank in town and it’s located at the Salvation Army Church on Setterington Street.

On Friday, May 1, Unemployed Help Centre Assistant CEO, Maxine Deleersnyder, was on hand to help get things rolling with the new hub.

“This is the fourth such hub in Windsor-Essex”, Deleersnyder said.

Deleersnyder explained that they’ve had over 16,000 visits to food banks across WindsorEssex, so the need is definitely there.

The hub in Leamington, at the Salvation Army Church at 88 Setterington Street, is open every Friday and Saturday from 11am to 2 pm.

Salvation Corps Officers Oudaovanh and Phoungem Sombounkhanh will oversee the operation in Leamington.

Salvation Army Leamington’s Corps Officers Oudaovanh and Phoungem Sombounkhanh were greeting needy neighbours at the grand opening of Leamington’s new drive-thru food bank on Friday, May 1. Sun photo

With the current COVID-19 situation, Deleersnyder says times will get tough for a lot of people.

“Unemployment is up about 163 percent among the people who use our food banks”, she said.

The Unemployed Help Centre provides many services throughout Windsor-Essex including meals on wheels, job services and help with their heating bills. They have an office in Windsor and one in Belle River.

The hampers and boxes being given out on Friday were given in cooperation with Feed Ontario and contained nonperishable, high-protein items such as canned tuna, peanut butter and other healthy foods.

Once word was out, business was brisk, and about haf a dozen volunteers had everyone organized to make sure it ran smoothly.