SIGA fuels Carlyle and District Food Bank with $10,000 donation amid rising food insecurity

Carlyle and Area Food Bank received a $10,000 donation from the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) as part of a province-wide effort to tackle food insecurity.

This is part of a larger initiative called the Community Investment Food Security Strategy. SIGA is donating $225,000 to food banks and other food-related programs under this initiative.

In 2023 the Carlyle and District Foodbank served 3,076 clients and distributed 1,159 food hampers to those in need. “Our current area stretches as far as far west as Stoughton, east to Redvers, south to Alameda and north to Wawota,” said Theresa Luedtke the executive director of the Carlyle and Area Foodbank.

Luedtke said their numbers from 2022 to 2023 have gone up 18 per cent. The number of clients has increased by 27 per cent in that same time frame.

“In 2023, the cost of a single hamper was $75. For us it has increased by $25 for the same items,” said Luedtke “On behalf of the Carlyle and District Food Bank, we want to thank Bear Claw Casino, and SIGA for this amazing donation, which is so important in the continuation of our monthly operation of supplying food and support to those struggling with food insecurity.”

Mayor of Carlyle, Jenn Sedor said that she is proud of the volunteers who put countless hours into ensuring that the individuals and families in the area are taken care of.

“The challenge is not getting smaller. It’s only ever seeming to get larger. It’s always harder and harder to find donations,” said Sedor. “And these volunteers, they just stand in the face of a challenge and say, let’s do this. Let’s do this for our community, let’s do this for our region.”

She added that she is grateful for the donation so that the foodbank can continue to do its great work.

Richard Ahenakew, regional general manager for three SIGA casinos including the Bear Claw casino near Carlyle, said that part of the vision for SIGA is to be able to assist communities that they operate in. 

“We’ve always been a proud supporter of food banks and other groups in that, you know we take this work seriously to give back and support the communities that we live, and work in,” said Ahenakew

He noted that Bear Claw Casino & Hotel has been part of the Carlyle community for almost three decades. Due to the increased food insecurity in the area, Bear Claw and SIGA wanted to step up and help the community.