The Okotoks Food Bank recently received a much-needed boost in funding.

Highwood MLA RJ Sigurdson presented executive director Pamela McLean with a cheque for $90,000 on Tuesday (April 4).

The funding is from a pair of provincial grants, the Food Security Grant and Donation Matching Grant.

It comes at a busy time for the Okotoks Food Bank, which has seen a 250 per cent increase in usage compared to January and February compared to 2022.

McLean says they haven't exactly slowed down after the busy holiday season.

"If you talk to any of our staff here, it's just none stop... We're getting over 100 people a day either walking in or arranging for a food hamper."

Among them are around 40 Ukranian refugee families.

Sigurdson presented the cheque on behalf of Seniors, Community and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon, and it wasn't his first stop of the day.

"Today I've had the opportunity to be at the Oilfields Food Bank... the Oilfields cheque was just under $50,000 to be able to support them. It's a combination of two grants but it goes directly towards helping them support their communities."