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Or even just financially donate so they can purchase things like meat and cheese.

I use the food bank as well. I am a mother of three and my husband works but I am a full-time student so we have no extra money even for food. This education will allow me to earn a lot more money though, so once I am done and have work, no more food bank. I am a prime example of someone who uses the system when needed -that's what it is there for. And I certainly plan on giving back once I am in a financial position to do so.  
 
So for all the naysayers, please know that there are people who genuinely rely on this system during their hard times.

My post can very well come off the wrong way and in no means am I trying to deter donations to this great organization or for the community to gather together to help each other out. If you can donate, PLEASE DONATE! My family have utilized more than one program that is offered from Samaritan House Ministries, and I am a member of service club in Brandon that actively raises money for Samaritan house, I truly support and believe in everything the people of this organization offer this city. So please do not assume I am accusing them of being shady when I am honestly just CURIOUS.  
 
In the link provided by the OP, its stated:  
"Thea Dennis, executive director of Samaritan House Ministries, said staff have had to limit the amount of food put into hampers because donations to the food bank are down"  
 
but just 20 days ago The Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser was held and Brandon and community raised over $25,000 for Brandon's Samaritan house. I understand that there is more than one program the organization runs and when it comes down to it $25,000 disappears really quickly when it is dispersed across many expenses.  
 
So I guess my question through all of that is, if anyone knows, did a very minimal amount of the funds raised from that fundraising event end up going towards the food bank program? (as in the original article they said there is only about 3 weeks of food left)  
 
Or is the demand THAT high in Brandon for food hampers? because if it is, that is truly scary. If that is the problem, then we all definitely need to work together to try and find a solution to our community going hungry.

As Samaritan House is a registered charity, you can view their public financial statements on the CRA site:  
 
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/haip/srch/t3010form22QuickView-eng.action?b=107951790RR0001&fpe=2017-03-31  
 
Donations accounted for 30% of their 2017 revenue. Approximately half of that was spent on salaries, with the other half mostly going to other program expenses.  
 
The important thing to note is that Samaritan House is more than just a food bank: they run a number of programs helping less fortunate Brandonites.

and going to get worse in regards to cost of living. Perhaps it's time for the provincial and federal governments to step up and donate cash? Because we are having a hard enough time ourselves and cannot spare to give anything.

Government funding = $891,376

my previous post was deleted but I will try again.  
 
Things are getting worse as numbers are up at both Samaritan House and Helping Hands soup kitchen. As I said then, people are facing the tough decision between buying food or paying rent to keep a roof over their head.  
 
Hydro keeps going up, food costs more, yet wages are stagnant. I have no information on where the $25,000 went and that is a good question - but the need for food goes on daily.

I won’t donate to the Samaritan house any more. Last year I went to them to donate and they refused me. Told me they didn’t want or need my donation. The lady there was actually pretty rude. I was donating things like shampoo, body wash, etc never opened or used, clothes that were in mint condition. I had many things but after that experience I choose not to support them any more. Apparently I’m not good enough for them or something. Plus yeah reading that they have a whole bunch of government funding going towards these types or organizations but yet they are broke means someone isn’t doing their job properly and over spending on things they shouldn’t be. Sorry but if your gonna refuse donations of any kind even if you don’t need them at that moment, you shouldn’t be insisting people donate.

Johnbisonbear said "and going to get worse in regards to cost of living. Perhaps it's time for the provincial and federal governments to step up and donate cash? Because we are having a hard enough time ourselves and cannot spare to give anything. "

Not to take away from the need at Samaritan House...  
 
I took a look at the link regarding the Samaritan House financials from the government. Some things are not sitting well with me.  
 
$1,373,232 in total revenue (gov't funding accounts for 65% of revenue $891,376)  
 
Expenses are $1,403,126 which is exceeding their revenue by almost $30,000.  
 
What I find disturbing is there are 78 paid positions. Compensation for all positions is $744,337 plus another $61,403 for management and administration or roughly 59%($805,740) of the budget. Then you still need to take out building rental and operating costs. That really doesn't leave a lot of money left over to go towards the end receiver. I would have expected more volunteer work.

Fishin Guy said "    Johnbisonbear said "and going to get worse in regards to cost of living. Perhaps it's time for the provincial and federal governments to step up and donate cash? Because we are having a hard enough time ourselves and cannot spare to give anything. " Not to take away from the need at Samaritan House...     I took a look at the link regarding the Samaritan House financials from the government. Some things are not sitting well with me.     $1,373,232 in total revenue (gov't funding accounts for 65% of revenue $891,376)     Expenses are $1,403,126 which is exceeding their revenue by almost $30,000.     What I find disturbing is there are 78 paid positions. Compensation for all positions is $744,337 plus another $61,403 for management and administration or roughly 59%($805,740) of the budget. Then you still need to take out building rental and operating costs. That really doesn't leave a lot of money left over to go towards the end receiver. I would have expected more volunteer work. "

what the heck are the positions?  
 
Sorry I didn't look into the facts but people (more and more) are not in the position to give money let alone take food off their own tables to give to others. Could be better in the summer with excess produce if someone has it but it's tough out there to put healthy food on your own table.

Hopefully not too off topic but I was under the impression that garden veggies were not taken by these types of organizations. I was told a few years ago it is for health reasons because there is no control over what chemicals etc are used to grow the produce. Not sure if this info is correct or not but that is what we were told a few years ago when we had an abundance of extra garden produce.

Johnbisonbear said "    Fishin Guy said "    Johnbisonbear said "and going to get worse in regards to cost of living. Perhaps it's time for the provincial and federal governments to step up and donate cash? Because we are having a hard enough time ourselves and cannot spare to give anything. " Not to take away from the need at Samaritan House...     I took a look at the link regarding the Samaritan House financials from the government. Some things are not sitting well with me.     $1,373,232 in total revenue (gov't funding accounts for 65% of revenue $891,376)     Expenses are $1,403,126 which is exceeding their revenue by almost $30,000.     What I find disturbing is there are 78 paid positions. Compensation for all positions is $744,337 plus another $61,403 for management and administration or roughly 59%($805,740) of the budget. Then you still need to take out building rental and operating costs. That really doesn't leave a lot of money left over to go towards the end receiver. I would have expected more volunteer work. " what the heck are the positions?     Sorry I didn't look into the facts but people (more and more) are not in the position to give money let alone take food off their own tables to give to others. Could be better in the summer with excess produce if someone has it but it's tough out there to put healthy food on your own table. "

Compensation  
 
Total compensation for all positions $744,337  
Full-time employees 16  
Part-time employees 62  
Professional and consulting fees $16,507  
Compensated full-time positions:  
$40,000 - $79,999 - 5  
Less than $40,000 - 5  
(Where are the other 6 full time positions?)  
 
Maybe they could look into some city property that could be fenced off and made into a garden. It should be worked/tended by the people in need. Everyone pitches in a few hours of volunteer work each week, kids can help too. You could stockpile garden veggies and such.

Johnbisonbear said "and going to get worse in regards to cost of living. Perhaps it's time for the provincial and federal governments to step up and donate cash? Because we are having a hard enough time ourselves and cannot spare to give anything. "

why not people put effort learning to manage their budget how to use their money more efficiently instead of asking the government to step up to every issues. Some people save not much and starting at young age their paycheque does not last one week not counting people with credit at young age make them in debt so early in life. Where will the government get the money from....can't be from welfare, disability, low income people so does that leave it to large to small size businesses and high wages people. Some will get tax higher on their income than others. Why?

Some people: "People need to get jobs and stop using programs like welfare and the food banks!"  
 
Also: "Why are there so many people who have jobs at Samaritan House?"  
 
See how ridiculous that sounds?

RC123 said "Hopefully not too off topic but I was under the impression that garden veggies were not taken by these types of organizations. I was told a few years ago it is for health reasons because there is no control over what chemicals etc are used to grow the produce. Not sure if this info is correct or not but that is what we were told a few years ago when we had an abundance of extra garden produce. "

If that's the case, that's wrong! It's good enough for our families to eat!

Fishin Guy said "    Johnbisonbear said "    Fishin Guy said "    Johnbisonbear said "and going to get worse in regards to cost of living. Perhaps it's time for the provincial and federal governments to step up and donate cash? Because we are having a hard enough time ourselves and cannot spare to give anything. " Not to take away from the need at Samaritan House...     I took a look at the link regarding the Samaritan House financials from the government. Some things are not sitting well with me.     $1,373,232 in total revenue (gov't funding accounts for 65% of revenue $891,376)     Expenses are $1,403,126 which is exceeding their revenue by almost $30,000.     What I find disturbing is there are 78 paid positions. Compensation for all positions is $744,337 plus another $61,403 for management and administration or roughly 59%($805,740) of the budget. Then you still need to take out building rental and operating costs. That really doesn't leave a lot of money left over to go towards the end receiver. I would have expected more volunteer work. " what the heck are the positions?     Sorry I didn't look into the facts but people (more and more) are not in the position to give money let alone take food off their own tables to give to others. Could be better in the summer with excess produce if someone has it but it's tough out there to put healthy food on your own table. " Compensation     Total compensation for all positions $744,337   Full-time employees 16   Part-time employees 62   Professional and consulting fees $16,507   Compensated full-time positions:   $40,000 - $79,999 - 5   Less than $40,000 - 5   (Where are the other 6 full time positions?)     Maybe they could look into some city property that could be fenced off and made into a garden. It should be worked/tended by the people in need. Everyone pitches in a few hours of volunteer work each week, kids can help too. You could stockpile garden veggies and such. "

has had a look at SH budget? Those full time jobs between 40 to 80? That's a more than generous wage. Some people have to live on less than 20 thousand!

I am so sorry that I even started this thread.  
 
 
I really thought the people of Brandon would be more compassionate and giving.  
 
There are likely many people with disabilities that cannot work, mental illnesses. I know that CPP disability pays on average $800 a month. How is one going to live on that? With rent, food, essentials. You can't even find a place to rent that cheap. Also, if you are on CPP disability you are only allowed to work or make a very minimal amount per year, without them deducting.  
 
We do not know everyone's story. I am sure there are a few that abuse it, but I would bet most don't.

Fishin Guy said "    Johnbisonbear said "    Fishin Guy said "    Johnbisonbear said "and going to get worse in regards to cost of living. Perhaps it's time for the provincial and federal governments to step up and donate cash? Because we are having a hard enough time ourselves and cannot spare to give anything. " Not to take away from the need at Samaritan House...     I took a look at the link regarding the Samaritan House financials from the government. Some things are not sitting well with me.     $1,373,232 in total revenue (gov't funding accounts for 65% of revenue $891,376)     Expenses are $1,403,126 which is exceeding their revenue by almost $30,000.     What I find disturbing is there are 78 paid positions. Compensation for all positions is $744,337 plus another $61,403 for management and administration or roughly 59%($805,740) of the budget. Then you still need to take out building rental and operating costs. That really doesn't leave a lot of money left over to go towards the end receiver. I would have expected more volunteer work. " what the heck are the positions?     Sorry I didn't look into the facts but people (more and more) are not in the position to give money let alone take food off their own tables to give to others. Could be better in the summer with excess produce if someone has it but it's tough out there to put healthy food on your own table. " Compensation     Total compensation for all positions $744,337   Full-time employees 16   Part-time employees 62   Professional and consulting fees $16,507   Compensated full-time positions:   $40,000 - $79,999 - 5   Less than $40,000 - 5   (Where are the other 6 full time positions?)     Maybe they could look into some city property that could be fenced off and made into a garden. It should be worked/tended by the people in need. Everyone pitches in a few hours of volunteer work each week, kids can help too. You could stockpile garden veggies and such. "

you look back into past years you will also notice their salary expenses went from under 500 000 in 2016 to 744 000 in 2017. Why and how?

the thing. There is a REAL need for the food bank and soup kitchen. Ideally these 2 things would be run together and be able to share incoming donations etc soup kitchen using  
up things that may go bad before they turn- however they don't.  
 
That being said, knowing people who've volunteered there and having gone in myself in past to help out when I have time here's the thing. The Samaritan house finances and donations are so mismanaged, the place is so disorganized that 1/4-1/3 of your donations end up in the trash bins. The place is too dirty to sort food, volunteers are unorganized and misguided, NOTHING in there is organized or runs properly. They are not in any way making the best use of what they have or properly using what they get in donations and funding.  
 
A large charity is a business, and should be run as such. Despite paying big $ for consultants and training for staff nothing changes. They've never invested in the facilities to properly process large produce donations in the fall so lots gets wasted, they don't accept many things that could be accepted if they applied for exemption (like the large food banks in Winnipeg).  
 
However since the need is so great I do still encourage people to drop things off, help collect etc, I do whenever I can too, but they are too wasteful for me to ever donate cash.

get all the financial information on samaritan house and helping hands.  
 
seems like 1.4 m in expenses is excessive when so much of the work is by volunteers, and with food donations.  
 
where can this 1.4 million be verified.  
 
and the positions of paid people, 78 positions with 16 as full time. really,  
 
some one from the samaritin house should get on this site and give some clarity.

I have read the posts above and just wanted to comment.  
Having volunteered my time and money to other organizations I can tell you one thing. People will not volunteer. There are just a lot of organizations out there and unless you pay people things will not get done. It is a sad situation but it is what it is.

I don't know where a lot of you people got your information but most of it is false. I know as a former employee of Samaritan House that there are not 62 employees of Samaritan House. There are training programs run through where the students get a stipend. There are at least 6 more programs run through them that greatly benefit the community. The produce that is accepted there in the fall fills the warehouse for months. There is a homeless shelter that runs for the winter months. Maybe a good idea would be for people to go there to ask questions instead of bad mouthing an organization that does all they can do for them that need it.

SMM said "I don't know where a lot of you people got your information but most of it is false. I know as a former employee of Samaritan House that there are not 62 employees of Samaritan House. There are training programs run through where the students get a stipend. There are at least 6 more programs run through them that greatly benefit the community. The produce that is accepted there in the fall fills the warehouse for months. There is a homeless shelter that runs for the winter months. Maybe a good idea would be for people to go there to ask questions instead of bad mouthing an organization that does all they can do for them that need it. "

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/haip/srch/t3010form22QuickView-eng.action?b=107951790RR0001&fpe=2017-03-31  
 
This link was posted earlier on this thread.  
Note the number of employees SHM states they have.  
Note that the site is the CRA.  
Seems legit to me.

SMM said "I don't know where a lot of you people got your information but most of it is false. I know as a former employee of Samaritan House that there are not 62 employees of Samaritan House. There are training programs run through where the students get a stipend. There are at least 6 more programs run through them that greatly benefit the community. The produce that is accepted there in the fall fills the warehouse for months. There is a homeless shelter that runs for the winter months. Maybe a good idea would be for people to go there to ask questions instead of bad mouthing an organization that does all they can do for them that need it. "

one is saying they are not doing good things that benefit the community.  
 
However the same factors leading to increased demand for their services: uch as inflation and wage stagnation are affecting how people choose to donate. generally people want their donation to make the biggest impact possible.  
 
Few years back there was a big campaign to get a commercial food prep area in the building so they could process more of their donations and reduce waste. Nothing ever came of it. The food bank aspect wastes as little as they can under the circumstances however they are not set up to maximize their donations of perishable goods due to their facility.  
 
That being said, other donations do go to waste in great amounts! For example bags of random donations left unsorted for weeks, eventually needing to be thrown out as moisture got into the bag and it''s now full of mildew.  
 
At one point the kids school wanted to do a drive for them, and thought to check and see what they needed. They were told not to bother unless it was cash, it''d probably be useless anyway.... now granted I hear this manager is no longer there.  
 
What I''m saying is, that people know it is a great need here, that it is a vital service, and as such continue to support how they can.  
 
However it will be getting harder and harder to get donations as they have turned a lot of people off in past. Their 2017 taxes also do not reflect a well run, streamlined operation even when you break them out in the full tax sheets not just the quick view graphs.  
 
Recently they have started reaching out more to the community trying to change their image, and I think this is helping public perception overall. This year the kids charity drive was welcomed with open arms and much thanks for example, so they felt good and will likely do it again. However there is still a long way to go. Charities are a business, and just like any business it takes time to market yourself, and build a loyal base. They are on the right track, and I hope that things improve for them in the near future, but financial transparency and how peoples donations are used is increasingly important in this day and age.  
 
Edited by Happy Trails , 2018-03-17 00:01:19