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Food banks need help year round

Alberni residents shouldn't just donate to food banks only during the holiday season; they should continue through the year in 2014

To the Editor,

Please don’t donate to food banks only during the holiday season, but continue until at least the end of February or even May 2014. That’s when recipients of government financial assistance (working families with children, seniors, and the disabled) are most likely to suffer food shortages.

Citizens on government assistance received their December 2013 cheques on the 18th but any grocery funds left over from paying rent etc. must stretch for five rather than four weeks between cheques because the next one isn’t until Jan. 22, 2014.

It’s difficult enough to make ends meet for four weeks, let alone five, so it’s a long five weeks ‘till Jan. 22, again ‘till Feb. 26, and then repeated from April 23 to May 28.

I doubt the powers-that-be who legislated this payment schedule would ever allow themselves to go five weeks between pay periods.

Liz Stonard,

Port Alberni