Local family raises awareness for food banks in 2018

By Miriam Ostermann, Associate Editor

A local family is ringing in 2018 with a month-long challenge to slash their grocery budget by hundreds of dollars to raise awareness around restocking the food banks. The challenge is the brainchild of Marci Hira who, upon speaking with several friends that regularly visit the food bank, decided to decrease her $600 a month grocery budget to only $50 a week.
The mother of two is completing her education in nutrition through the Elevated Learning Academy and hopes to shed light on the types of donations submitted to the food banks, the possibility of eating clean within financial means, and raising $500 and 500 items.
“I had a few friends who have gone to the food banks and I asked what foods they got, and we started realizing it was a lot of sugar, a lot of sodium and a lot of processed foods,” Hira said.
“I’m hoping more people will be open to eating healthier, being more aware of what they’re buying when they’re grocery shopping, and being more aware of what they’re donating.”
The family braved the bone-chilling weather earlier this week to embark on a shopping trip to fill their pantry with $50 worth of products. According to Hira, meal planning, flyers and sales are essential. She’s also focusing on the acceptable macronutrient distribution range to ensure proper balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. To meet budget demands, the Strathmore locals are scouring grocery stores for cheap vegetables, frozen vegetables and inexpensive sources of proteins including eggs, tuna and beef, while reducing their fruit intake and eliminating visits to restaurants.
The challenge has already garnered interest on social media with other community members interested in participating. Speaking from experience, Hira is aware of the need to replenish the shelves at the local food banks.
“My husband never grew up with any issues of food security. I have, so it’s about realizing how much we were wasting and kick-start the new year,” she added.
“I talked to a food bank at one point, and they said, ‘Typically it’s the rest of the year that we struggle, because everyone donates at the end of the year for the Christmas hamper.’ But I know January they have low stock because their shelves are depleted. You have to learn how to make a little go a long way.”
According to the World Health Organization 80 per cent of all chronic disease and premature death is preventable through healthy living and clean eating – a topic Hira wants to focus on upon the completion of her education.
The Wheatland County Food Bank, which services Strathmore and Wheatland County, prepares nearly 800 hampers a year and has been around for almost three decades. The food bank relies on donations from residents, businesses and local service organizations and has noticed an increase in people using the service, larger family sizes, rise in operating costs including fuel and food, and an increase in rent with a need for more space.
“The next three months are always busy for us as those with seasonal positions haven’t started their jobs, as of yet,” said Val Schaning, operations coordinator with the Wheatland County Food Bank. “All donation items are always welcome and much appreciated. The people of this community are very supportive of our agency and always provide the help when it is needed.”
Hira and her family began the challenge on Jan. 1 and will finish at the end of the month. For more information and updates on the challenge visit the Facebook page What Chew Eating?