Clary Lausnes is wondering how much longer her small outreach team can hold out.

Since 2014, Lausnes and her husband have run All Are Family Outreach, helping people struggling to get by from Armstrong to Kelowna with food, fuel costs, rent payments, funds for medication, moral support and anything else they can help with.

But at a time when the cost of living is exploding and demand for their services is skyrocketing, donations to the outreach have been close to nil of late, and Lausnes fears their project to help the less fortunate may be nearing the end of the line.

Just this year, the outreach has twice had to close for weeks at a time due to a lack of resources.

Lausnes says funds haven含羞草研究社檛 been there to put fuel in the outreach含羞草研究社檚 van, meaning they haven含羞草研究社檛 been able to deliver goods to people in need.

含羞草研究社淲e do need fuel for the van, we have the sea can we rent for storage, we do help people with medication and such, and we含羞草研究社檙e just completely unable to do that,含羞草研究社� Lausnes said.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 at such a dire point that if we don含羞草研究社檛 get a pretty substantial donation or help, we will be closed by at least the end of the year if not sooner.含羞草研究社�

Lausnes said the outreach received a good amount of support over Christmas that tided them over until March, but since then it含羞草研究社檚 been a struggle.

含羞草研究社淲e do have somebody doing a food drive in July that will be a big help stocking the shelves, but again, if we can含羞草研究社檛 pay the sea can to store it in or get the food to people, it含羞草研究社檚 kind of a moot point,含羞草研究社� Lausnes said.

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Lausnes says times are tough for many families who rely on their services, and lately they含羞草研究社檙e starting to see new families come to them, ones that have never used a food bank before.

She fears if All Are Family is eventually forced to shut down, a number of people will have nowhere else to turn.

含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 this idea out there that there含羞草研究社檚 so many organizations that everybody must be covered. That含羞草研究社檚 simply not the case,含羞草研究社� she said.

含羞草研究社淲e have families walking by the blessing boxes every day to hope that there含羞草研究社檚 a little bit of food that they can take home to their children. Blessing boxes are not really intended for families, they含羞草研究社檙e intended for the street people.

含羞草研究社淭hat old saying of 含羞草研究社榚verybody thought that somebody should do it but nobody did it,含羞草研究社� that含羞草研究社檚 kind of the situation we含羞草研究社檙e ending up in now.含羞草研究社�

Lausnes believes the federal and provincial governments need to do more for low-income families amid the escalating cost of living.

含羞草研究社淚f changes aren含羞草研究社檛 made soon, if the government doesn含羞草研究社檛 step in and do something, the dirty 30s are going to look like a sweet dream.含羞草研究社�

All Are Family含羞草研究社檚 shutdowns this year have been due to a complete lack of staple foods, including rice, ramen noodles, jam and fruit juice. She says while fruit juice might not seem essential, it含羞草研究社檚 the next best thing when storing and distributing fresh fruit isn含羞草研究社檛 feasible.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 been scientifically proven that if you can give a child a healthy diet, that greatly improves their chance of breaking any circles of poverty,含羞草研究社� she said.

Aside from a few part-time volunteers, All Are Family Outreach is run by only three people, and there is limited time between them to take up fundraising campaigns.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e dealing with suicide calls, depression calls, we含羞草研究社檙e dealing with marital abuse calls, that has all skyrocketed, besides giving out hampers and trying to raise funds, and we含羞草研究社檙e tired, we just can含羞草研究社檛 do all of it and the fundraising on top of it.含羞草研究社�

Lausnes encourages anyone who may have an idea for a fundraiser for the outreach to reach out to her at or by phone at 250-503-4983. E-transfers can also be sent through the email.

All Are Family is also hosting a three-day yard sale fundraiser July 7-9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. The yard sale will be located at 6900 Tronson Rd., near Kin Beach. There will be books, DVDs, pre-loved clothing, household goods and other donated items for sale. The outreach will also raffle off a wine and goodies gift basket and sell tickets for draws for two pork loins worth more than $80. Tickets are three for $5.

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