As the holidays approach and giving is on the minds of many, the Regina Food Bank wants to remind people they are always in need of donations, regardless of the time of year.

CEO John Bailey says if you aren’t sure what to donate, there are a few items that are always in high demand.

“We’re always looking for canned proteins, dried pasta, pasta sauce, and soups,” he said. “Things that are shelf stable that we make sure we can do a quick inventory on and make sure best before dates are good, then we can get them into hampers really quick.”

Bailey said he wants those who may be first time users of the Food Bank, to know that there is never a stigma attached or judgement.

“There’s no stigma and we don’t want users to have any concerns, we’ll make sure to do everything we can to make sure your dietary considerations are met, and know that the hamper you’ll get from us will be full of not only staple products, but fresh fruit and vegetables along with protein and dairy, it’s really well rounded,” Bailey said.

The number of food bank users has also gone up this year, despite some normalcy returning in regards to the pandemic.

Bailey says they’ve seen an increase of about five to seven percent.

“A lot of folks are sort of financing to keep their head above water with debt, those bills are starting to come due and people are finding they sometimes have to make choices when it comes to paying for utilities and that kind of stuff. So, when it comes down to keeping your lights on or paying for food, lots of people will choose to keep the lights on, then that’s when we’re here to help out,” Bailey said.

Typically after the holiday season is over the Regina Food Bank sees a decrease in the amount of items donated to them.

Bailey wants to remind people that no matter the time of year, there will always be people in need.