'It's life changing': How a local food bank is helping feed veterans in Edmonton

Local food bank helping struggling veterans A local food bank is helping veterans and first responders with groceries, medicine and clothing. CTV News Edmonton's Nav Sangha reports.

The Edmonton chapter of the Veterans Food Bank in Alberta is reminding people to make food donations ahead of Remembrance Day.

Kaysha Chondropoulos is the general manager at the food bank and says it serves 82 clients.

"(The) majority of the time when veterans find themselves here in my shop, they have hit their lowest point. They're out of all other options and they're at their absolute worst,” Chondropoulos said.

“They're at their bottom, they're ready to give up. We ensure the most important thing, and that is food security.”

'Life changing' impact

The food bank provides more than just food, it also offers medicine, clothes and household items. It’s something veteran Robert Mackenize benefits from twice a month.

“It’s life changing, really, and it takes that burden, the stress off every month. At least I don’t have food insecurity,” Mackenzie told CTV Edmonton.

Mackenzie is a former RCMP officer of 20 years and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder when he left. An infection in his spine made it difficult for him to walk and gave him expensive medical bills.

“I feel very grateful for the pension and stuff I get from veteran affairs, I’ve been very well treated but life is just expensive every time you leave your house,” Mackenzie said.

Joshua Tymchuck is a veteran and left the military in 2012, wanting to spend his life volunteering more. It’s something he wanted to do after needing assistance himself.

“You come back into a world where you don’t have much structure … you kind of lose a bit of who you are, don’t know what to do, (your) purpose,” Tymchuck said.

He’s been volunteering with the food bank everyday for a year. Tymchuck says the transition can be difficult for people coming out of the military, often leaving them to question their identity and making it difficult to ask for help.

“They think they can handle anything under the moon, but eventually it just takes a toll.”

With Remembrance Day around the corner, his biggest message to people is to remind them to wear a poppy.

“It's heartbreaking for some vets to walk around and see how forgotten they are.”

Chondropoulos says the best way to help veterans is to donate, bring food or volunteer at the food bank as “every little bit helps.”

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Nav Sangha