“That’s who we are here in Whitecourt. Community helping community,” Whitecourt Food Bank Director Lori Coffey

When working with people who need support, while navigating troubled waters in their life, many agencies in the area work in conjunction with each other to provide as much coverage as possible. Agencies like the Whitecourt Food Bank often serve as the first point of contact for someone in need, and over the years, their referral process has morphed into a well-oiled machine.

For Director Lori Coffey, the Food Bank’s service to the community has become more requested than ever as numbers grow and lines get longer. As the need increases, so do the referrals she sends out. Recently, Coffey said it dawned on her just how vital that chain of support is.

“I realized that all the relationships I have with everyone are impactful. All I’ve ever heard from people new to our community is how the food bank is better than their old community or that they’ve never felt so supported as they do in Whitecourt. They speak to our resources here being better, that the people are nicer, and that they have more of a sense of community. They said that we don’t just help them with one thing, we help them with everything.”

Thanks to the community’s continued generosity and the partnerships and relationships built over the years, Coffey can sit down with a new intake and fill most of their needs with a few phone calls. One of those calls is typically to the office down the hall from the Food Bank. “The ladies from the FCLP (Family Community Liaison Program), we work together with them. If they have a family that’s in rough shape, they will come and see us. People who first move to Whitecourt and don’t have a support system in place yet go to the FCLP or the Food Bank.”

Coffey said hearing from clients that the support in Whitecourt is different and feels like a hug from the community, she put herself in their shoes to imagine how it must feel to receive such an influx of support. “I’ve always just been like, ya, that’s how Whitecourt is, but I didn’t realize how incredibly welcoming and warming that must be to someone who is new here or someone who doesn’t have family support or maybe is a new mom or is going through a rough time, things that like. Feeling completely enveloped by a community that loves you and wants to help you in every aspect is pretty cool.”

Wanting to shout out to those who are part of the chain, Coffey said many might not even realize they are playing a role in it. She said she wants them all to know just how vital their role is. From those who donate, to those who refer clients, to those who provide services or work at supporting agencies or schools, each is a link in the chain.

“I took it for granted because that’s just what I do, and these are the resources I can help people access and refer to, but I didn’t realize what this does for people, what it means to them. I’ve been at the Food Bank for so long now, and the relationships I’ve made with everyone over the years make it a little bit easier because I know who to call. It makes it easier for me, but it also makes it easier for the client. I try to make it like it’s no big deal because these people are often ashamed when they come in here. I don’t want that. I just want them to feel that we are helping them out. That’s all anyone in this chain of resources wants,” said Coffey.

Thanks to the links working together, Coffey said she could help clients access school supplies, mittens and toques, clothing, the Allan & Jean Millar Centre, and counselling services, to name a few. “I can give out gift cards to Twice is Nice or write letters for Repeat Boutique so families can get clothes or other needs filled. We can help with sports too.”

As clients are referred to other agencies, Coffey has heard back

from those professionals that clients have been emotional and grateful for the help, they are receiving. “We make sure the needs of these people are met. It’s not just me; it’s everybody working together. I refer people to them, and they refer people to me. The networking, the resources, and the way we all work cohesively together, I never realized how awesome that must be for someone on the receiving end.”

Coffey credits the whole system for working together as they do, down to the schools. “It helps individualize the support we can give, and it’s clearly being noticed. Everywhere they go, somebody is looking out for them. That’s pretty cool.”

The sad truth is that the number of people using services like the Food Bank has skyrocketed, and Coffey feels it will continue to do so. Continued support from the community through food drives, fundraisers, and individual donations is beyond vital, now more than ever. “If you are part of this chain, you are part of making people feel cared for. That’s huge. Anytime something is missing, people add to the chain, and they keep adding and adding to it. At the end of the day, we have these people who need our help and our love, and they feel it. They feel cared for. That’s why we all do this. All any of us want to do is help,” said Coffey.

Shouting out the links in the chain was a must for Coffey. “I always hear it, but I never put it together. This is just part of what we do. But no, it needs to be said out loud because so many people are part of this chain and might not realize what their role means to others. I want them to know that it means a lot. I truly, honestly believe, and I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, that I’m in one of the best communities. I see it all the time. I see it with the people, and I see it through their generosity. I by no means take the credit for it; I’m just a link in the chain. I’m part of the system that works really well. We are all doing a great job!”