Baker Lake’s only food bank in limbo as search for space continues

The future of the Abluqta Society, which runs Baker Lake’s only food bank, remains in limbo as it searches for a new home after a meeting with the hamlet council last week provided no immediate solution.

Last month Abluqta, the non-profit group which also operates a community soup kitchen and thrift store, was forced to vacate its previous location of two years due to the discovery of black mould. It hasn’t offered its services since Feb. 19.

Black mould is a fungus that can cause coughing, congestion and eye irritation and possibly worsen asthma symptoms, according to Health Canada.

Abluqta’s landlord, Piruqsaijit Ltd., won’t begin assessments or renovations on the former building until at least the spring or summer, said Abluqta board member Colleen Chau.

Even then, there’s no timeline for when the space might be usable again.

“It could be months or years,” Chau said in an interview. “Unfortunately, we are in limbo at the moment.”

Baker Lake council acknowledged the importance of the food bank at a meeting March 6 where it invited Abluqta board members to speak. Chau said no immediate solutions were offered in terms of a suitable building.

“The hamlet does obviously care about the future of Abluqta,” she said. “But it seems like they don’t really have any options.”

Most of the hamlet’s spaces are at capacity with other organizations — the wellness centre and arena are fully occupied.

A building leased to a local prenatal program has a clause allowing for shared use, but that would require further discussion with that program’s board.

Council suggested Abluqta apply for funding to purchase a building. However, Chau said, units currently for sale are small apartment spaces that would require extensive renovations.

“Half of our organization is a thrift store, so we need storage for clothing and food. A one-bedroom unit wouldn’t really be suitable,” she said.

That leaves Abluqta facing difficult choices — either move into a smaller space and reduce services, or share a location which would likely require closing the thrift store.

The food bank’s temporary closure has already had an impact, especially on elders who rely on its services and do not have access to Jordan’s Principle funding, which is for families with children.

“Now, really, the only thing we can do is vouchers” that can be redeemed at local stores, said Chau.

Abluqta is exploring short-term solutions to keep the food bank running. Baker Lake’s Nunamiut Lodge offered its space for voucher distribution and is talking with Abluqta about possibly hosting pop-up soup kitchens, though nothing is finalized.

Abluqta’s current landlord has offered an alternative rental space, Chau said, but it may be too small.

The Abluqta Society, established in 2017, says it provides 250 grocery bags of food per month to people in need and its hot lunch program feeds 15 to 20 people daily in the community of about 2,000 residents.

The group says seven out of every 10 families in Baker Lake don’t have secure access to food and rely on Abluqta’s services.