Winnipeg food bank desperate for donations as shelves go bare

The head ofManitoba's largest food banksays it has been years since the the shelves were this empty.

DavidNorthcott,executive directorat Winnipeg Harvest, said the agencyis heading into the Thanksgiving weekend desperately in need of food.

Northcottsaid some shelves are bare.In the past few months, 22 new agencies have approached the food bank asking for help, he said.

Northcott is appealing to the generosity of Manitobansfor help, especially with protein items. The biggest items in demand are canned fish and poultry, baby formula, vegetables, peanut butter, rice, and pasta.

Harvest has been able to meet the demand for hampers this week but Northcott is concerned about the dwindling supplies.

"I worry every day. And I know it's Thanksgiving and the high protein and the top 10 food items are very thin," he said, noting the items are the critical nutritional need items that form the heartbeat of our whole hamper program.

"That is always worrisome. I worry every day, not just at Thanksgiving.I worry every day that we can meet our hamper quota of the week."

At Lighthouse Mission, one of a number of Winnipeg Harvest distribution centres across the city,about 25 people lined up Friday to get some groceries for the week.

One woman told CBC News it was the first timeshe's visited a food bank.She and her son aregetting ready for Thanksgiving this weekend and she's hoping the stuff she picks up will help provide a pretty good meal.

Top10 most wanted food items:

1. Canned fish and poultry tuna, or salmon (packed in water) chicken or turkey.
2. Canned fruit and vegetables (packed in own juice).
3. Canned stew, chili, brown beans.
4. Peanut Butter.
5. Baby Food - jars of chicken, beef, vegetables or fruit, infant cereal such asoatmeal, barley or rice.Formula with added iron.
6. Whole grain pasta/whole wheat pasta.
7. Rice brown, converted or parboiled.
8. Canned spaghetti sauce or tomatoes.
9. Cereal high fibre, non-sugar coated.
10. Canned soup lentil, pea, vegetable.