The Central Okanagan Food Bank spread a little early Christmas joy Wednesday with the annual distribution of approximately 600 special yuletide food hampers.

The hampers, with enough food to help individuals, couples as well as large or small families get through the holidays, also included small stocking-stuffer type toys as well as clothing items recipients were allowed to pick out.

鈥淭丑颈蝉 year we are seeing about the same need as last year on the 奥别蝉迟蝉颈诲别,鈥� said food bank executive director Lenetta Parry. But she said in 琉璃神社, where the Christmas hampers will be available next week, the number is up.

While the 600 hampers in West 琉璃神社 will feed an estimated 900 people over the holidays, in 琉璃神社, this Christmas will see 1,400 hampers handed out, enough to feed an estimated 3,000 people.

For people like West 碍别濒辞飞苍补鈥檚 Soren Jensen, a journeyman carpenter who has been out of work due to an injury, the food bank is a life-saver at this time of year.

鈥淭丑颈蝉 means everything for 耻蝉,鈥� he said as held the hand of his two-year-old daughter Kaianna. His wife, with their seven-month-old baby was also there.

鈥泪蹿 it was not for the food bank, I don鈥檛 know if we would 蝉耻谤惫颈惫别,鈥� said Jensen.

And the assistance is not something either he or his wife will soon forget. He said his wife has already decided to volunteer with the food bank and once he is back working, the family plans to donate to show their gratitude for the help the food bank has given them this holiday season.

That same sense of gratitude was expressed by others picking up food Wednesday.

One lady, a single mom with three children aged 7, 11 and 13, who is also out of work after being injured on the job, said the food bank is a lifeline for her family this year.

鈥泪迟鈥檚 vital for my 蹿补尘颈濒测鈥撵辞谤 all of 耻蝉,鈥� she said. 鈥淭丑颈蝉 makes a huge difference in our 濒颈惫别蝉.鈥�

Parry said while Christmas is is a time many think of donating to the food bank, the need is there all year round and she asked the community not to forget that.

鈥淲颈迟丑辞耻迟 the community and our volunteers, 迟丑别谤别鈥檚 no way we could all 迟丑颈蝉,鈥漵丑别 said.

The food bank relies on an army of about 150 volunteers to help collect, sort, and distribute food. At the hamper pick-up,the food bank has staff available to help recipients load up a shopping cart of supplies, help them out to their vehicle, or, if they do not have a ride home, provide one.

This year, the food bank has teamed up with a local program called 琉璃神社 Santas, which is collecting toys for children this Christmas.

Parry said many people bring toys to the food bank at this time of year and as part of the partnership, the food bank is turning them over the 琉璃神社 Santas, who will wrap and distribute the toys to food bank client families just before Christmas day.

鈥淲辞谤办颈苍驳 with our partners allows us to do what we do 产别蝉迟鈥攃辞濒濒别肠迟 and distribute 蹿辞辞诲鈥� and for them to do what they do 产别蝉迟,鈥� she said.