In a significant shift for one of Grande Prairie’s vital community support systems, the Helping Hands Food Program announced this week it will temporarily suspend operations as it prepares for a major relocation. The beloved food security initiative, which has served vulnerable residents for over a decade, will cease services for approximately three weeks during June while it transitions to its new headquarters.
“This move represents both a challenge and an opportunity for our organization,” explains Jared Giles, Executive Director of Helping Hands. “While we regret any disruption to those who depend on our services, our new location will ultimately allow us to serve more people with greater efficiency and expanded programming.”
The program, which provides emergency food hampers and hot meals to hundreds of community members weekly, has outgrown its current facility as demand for food security services has steadily increased across the region. According to recent data from Food Banks Canada, Alberta has seen a 34% rise in food bank usage since 2019, with rural communities experiencing particularly sharp increases.
Local officials acknowledge the temporary closure creates a significant gap in community services. “We’re coordinating with other community organizations to minimize the impact during this transition period,” says Councillor Rebecca Tonowski. “The Salvation Army and local faith communities have stepped up to offer expanded meal services during these weeks.”
The relocation comes amid broader concerns about food security across the province. Economic analysts at the University of Alberta report that inflation and housing costs continue to strain household budgets, pushing more working families to seek assistance. Grande Prairie’s situation reflects national trends showing food insecurity affecting increasingly diverse demographics.
For regular clients like Martin Desjardin, the temporary closure means finding alternatives. “I rely on their Tuesday hot lunch program,” he says. “But I understand they need to move to keep helping us long-term. The volunteers there have always treated us with respect—that’s worth waiting for.”
The new facility, located in the city’s south end industrial area, will feature expanded storage capacity, a larger kitchen, and dedicated space for nutrition education programs. Helping Hands leadership indicates the relocation will enable them to increase both the quantity and nutritional quality of food distributed.
Community members interested in supporting the transition can volunteer during the moving process or contribute to the organization’s “New Home, Same Heart” fundraising campaign, which aims to raise $50,000 for equipment upgrades and expanded programming.
As Grande Prairie continues to navigate economic uncertainties and changing demographics, the question remains: how will our communities build sustainable systems to address food insecurity that go beyond emergency responses to create lasting solutions?
