A financial shot in the arm from Food Banks of Saskatchewan is just the medicine the Door of Hope in Meadow Lake needs, but the question now is, will it be enough? According to Door of Hope executive director Delton Sylvain it won’t be, although he is happy with the contribution his organization is expected to receive from Food Banks of Saskatchewan. As announced in the 2025-26 provincial budget, the Government of Saskatchewan is providing $1 million to Food Banks of Saskatchewan in August 2025 to distribute to agencies across the province.

“It is very good news Food Banks of Saskatchewan has received this funding from the provincial government,” Sylvain told Northern Pride. “Based on the pattern I have seen in the past, however, when Food Banks of Saskatchewan has a grant available, that grant must be used only on food. We are a not-for-profit organization and, unfortunately, have a lot of expenses when it comes to day-to-day operations. For example, I recently received letters from SaskPower and from SaskTel advising our bills will be going up by about five per cent. Meanwhile, we also have staff here. We have a soup kitchen manager, a food bank manager, myself, and a human resources manager. When we talk about the Door of Hope, I hope people understand there are a lot of things behind-the-scenes not just about food. You need to have the right people in place with the right heart to serve our people.” Sylvain said he plans to apply to Food Banks of Saskatchewan in order to receive a portion of the $1 million in the form of a grant. At the same time, though, he said it’s important for donations to still come in and for fundraising efforts to continue, as this is what truly helps make a difference.

“There is nothing (from Food Banks of Saskatchewan) for administration or anything else,” he said. “That would come more so from individual donations and fundraising. It’s still 100 per cent positive news to have the opportunity to receive this funding from Food Banks of Saskatchewan, but we need continued funding. What we pay our workers could be better – our HR manager, for example, is in charge of calling the rehab centres, the detox centres, she helps our clients complete the necessary forms and she has a master’s degree. She is working here because she feels for our people. It’s a worry for me as a director to see we can’t compensate our workers the way we should be compensating them.” Meanwhile, according to social services minister Terry Jenson, the funding for Food Banks of Saskatchewan fulfills the government’s commitment to provide $2 million over two years to help Saskatchewan families and food banks with rising food costs. “By partnering with Food Banks of Saskatchewan once again this year, we are providing additional support to communities across our province,” Jenson said.

The $2 million commitment was first announced in July 2024, with the first $1 million instalment provided to Food Banks of Saskatchewan in August 2024. The Ministry of Social Services will work with Food Banks of Saskatchewan to distribute the second $1 million instalment this month to agencies based on the population and average food bank usage of the communities they serve. “Saskatchewan Food Banks are experiencing an unprecedented year of demand, making it increasingly difficult to stock adequate food supplies,” Food Banks of Saskatchewan executive director Michael Kincade said. “The relentless rise in inflation is taking a toll on hunger and food insecurity, affecting not just low-income families but also those with higher incomes. As the need grows while donations dwindle, this support arrives at a vital moment for us to nourish our friends, neighbours, and loved ones.” This investment is part of the affordability initiatives introduced in Saskatchewan’s 2025-26 provincial budget to benefit Saskatchewan people and families, including: increasing monthly income assistance benefits by two per cent for Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS) and Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) clients; increasing the Personal Care Home Benefit by up to $1,000 per month, helping make the cost of living in a licensed personal care home more affordable for Saskatchewan seniors; increasing the Saskatchewan Low-Income Tax Credit by five per cent annually for the next four years; doubling the Active Families Benefit to make it more affordable for families to access children’s sports, arts, cultural and recreational activities; and enhancing basic tax credits including the basic exemption, spousal, equivalent-to-spouse, seniors supplement and dependent child tax credits.

Sylvain, meanwhile, said food is currently running low at the local food bank. “We are running low,” he stated. “I believe it’s because of the northern wildfires. We have a lot more people passing through Meadow Lake and utilizing the food bank and the soup kitchen. Yesterday (July 30) alone we served 120 people lunch. We even have a pet food program. People have stopped by the Door of Hope asking for dog food or cat food, and that’s been going out. There are so many new faces… a lot of new faces in Meadow Lake.” Sylvain also said, if anyone has any questions about how the money they donate is spent, they can always come see him at the Door of Hope. “We are here to serve the people and we need to be held accountable 100 per cent,” he said. “We are open to anyone to come and ask any questions.”

He also reiterated the need for ongoing financial support. “My biggest ambition is to get Flying Dust First Nation, the Meadow Lake Tribal Council, all the various agencies and the Ministry of Social Services to have ongoing funding in their respective budgets for the Door of Hope,” he said. “It’s been two years and I am still working on it. The soup kitchen and the food bank aren’t only for homeless people. They’re for the guy who is laid off and going through depression and doesn’t pay his rent. They’re for the person who is kicked out of his house and in need of support. We are for anyone and everyone. Anyone can experience situations like this. At the Door of Hope you will see homeless people but you will also see working class people.” Sylvain also noted, when the Door of Hope helps less fortunate people, it helps prevent vandalism in the streets, homelessness and crime of all sorts. “Food is a basic necessity, but the Door of Hope is not just about food,” he said. “We send people to detox centres, we help people in need secure gifts for the children, it’s about more than feeding people. We have a lot of great stories about helping people and those people now doing well… We can help so many more, but just need that continued help, and that hope to be there all the time.” Sylvain also expressed his gratitude to some of the organization’s continued supporters.

“Thank you so much to the Meadow Lake Co-op and No Frills for, on a daily basis, their willingness to give us food,” he said. “It’s through their help we’re able to do what we do each day. I would also like to thank Access Communications. We have a TV show called Serving Hope. We record it once a month and they provide some great publicity for us.” For more information about Food Banks of Saskatchewan, visit www.foodbankssk.ca or contact the Door of Hope.