Photo: All Are Family Outreach

Unless you've been in the situation, it is hard to imagine having to choose between paying your rent and buying food for your family.

However, that is the reality for hundreds of families across the Okanagan. 

All Are Family Outreach provides support for those in need from West Kelowna to Armstrong.

All Are Family Outreach is a new charity, it is only a few years old. They do not have the budget to advertise and so they rely on word of mouth. 

In an impassioned plea, Clary Lausnes the executive director of All Are Family Outreach turned to social media for help. 

"Today, we had to turn people away without the very small basics they were asking for," she wrote on Their Facebook page.

Heartbroken, Lausnes says if they do not receive immediate donations of food, they will be forced to shut down their food program.  

"Looking at the shelves, I figure we can last maybe about a month," Lausnes says, before cautioning, "that is as long as we don't get a rush on hampers or a family of 15 come in for help."

A rush on the outreach's resources is not unthinkable. Lausnes says with the cost of everything going up these days, they find more and more people are reaching out for help. 

The mother who ate bread crusts for a week so her child could eat. The senior couple with a host of health issues, who care for their two adult severely handicapped boys.

The family of five who work, but every penny goes towards bills. 

These are real situations Lausnes sees on a daily basis, and thanks to donations they have been able to help. 

However, she says donations are down almost 90 per cent from last year, and they are now saying 'no' to people who come to them for help.  

"We've had to say 'no' to a mother asking through tears please, can you spare something? Peanut butter, some beans, anything I can make a few meals with."

Lausnes says it breaks her heart when they can't provide the simplest most basic needs, like food and diapers for a mother and baby.

"There are so many more stories like this, but the outreach depends completely on donations," she says. "We get no grants from anywhere, and everyone is a volunteer, often buying gas and needed items out of their own pockets to keep helping."

Lausnes is hoping that by reaching out through social media she can raise awareness about their needs, and have some of the community donate so they can continue helping families and others in need of help in the Okanagan. 

Greatest needs are: 

• meat, 
• beans, 
• pasta sauce, 
• canned fruit, 
• lunch items for children, 
• juice, 
• diapers, 
• peanut butter, 
• jam, 
• canned vegetables, 
• shampoo, 

They will also pick up donations. Just text 250-870-7182

DROP SPOTS
Armstrong:
2531 Pheasant Ridge. Please leave on bench in front if no one home.

Vernon: 
#18 Brookside Gardens on 34th Street
3805 15 Avenue There is a bin in driveway for donations or leave items under tent

Winfield:
#185-720 Commonwealth Road. Please leave on deck if no one home.
10851 Pheasant Road 
11370 Bottom Wood Lake Road (11 to 3 thursdays only)

Kelowna: 
165 A Hartman Rd. Please call first 250-859-8175
735 Tartan - Please place under overhang at side of house
520 Keithley Road
639 Hardie road

West Kelowna:
1704 Merlot Drive There is a bin for donations in front of house. 
2185 Tomat Ave
#43 -2005 Boucherie Ave