It was a big day at the Central Okanagan Food Bank (COFB) as it welcomed community members and dignitaries to its annual open house.

"We threw the doors open so that we can invite impact leaders and community to come in and see what the organization is doing to nourish our community on a daily basis," said COFB director of development Trina Speiser.

She, along with other employees showed off the space and explained everything the food bank does, especially during the holiday season. Speiser said December is the biggest time of the year, as they see more people come through its doors for help than any other month.

"It's a vulnerable time," said Speiser. "We're anticipating feeding 4,500 households this month, which is about a 30 per cent increase over Christmas last year."

Speiser has been at COFB for around five years now and said when she started, the food bank served 2,300 people a month. Now they serve more than 12,000 people a month. She added that the fastest growing demographic is two-parent working households, but typically households come by four to five times a year. According to COFB, 43 per cent of people who use the food bank are working households while 44 per cent are aged 15 and under. 

"The number one cited reason for people visiting the food bank is the cost of increased living," said Speiser. "We are an emergency spot-gap measure."

People can come and receive food once every 28 days and they get enough to last five-to-seven days. 

"We do not supply full month food, we just can't, we'd love to but we just can't because we have so many people in need," added Speiser.

"Everyone's journey to the food bank is really different," she continued. "I think just having that empathy and understanding that people are in vulnerable positions. There's a lot of shame attached with coming to the food bank so it's about respecting other's journey and passing no judgment."

The COFB's main location is at 2310 Enterprise Way and they have a location in West Kelowna they are renting but the building is set to be demolished. COFB is looking for a new place in West Kelowna to rent and eventually, a longer-term placer but Speiser said that could take three to five years.

At the two-hour open house, many dignitaries from both Kelowna and West Kelowna attended and Speiser said "It warms my heart," to see them all there.