The Helping Hands Free Food Shed has been operational for seven months now and it's proving to be a big hit in the Cochrane community; so much so, that a second shed is currently in the works.

The take what you need and leave what can concept took a little while to catch on, with Cochranites donating plenty and taking very little back at first. Now, area residents are making good use of the two-pronged service.

Helping Hands Executive Director Chairra Nicolle says they recently collected feedback from users to try and better fill the needs within the community.

"We have put out a survey a couple of weeks ago. for anybody who uses the shed whether they're donating or picking up or just checking up and cleaning," explains Nicolle. "Some of the feedback that came out is that the freezer is always empty."

While the Helping Hands Society greatly appreciates all donations made to the food shed, Nicolle says that the goal of it has always been to remove the stigma surrounding free food, and sharing amongst the community. 

As we draw nearer to the festive season, Helping Hands is putting out a call to the community to help fill the freezer. She says those frozen meals will stretch far to feed a family. 

"As we're gearing up to the holiday season, items like chicken fingers or lasagna or pizza -- we often see on sale," explains Nicolle. "Those $5 items can go a long way to feed a family in need this season."

She says that along with produce and dairy products, the freezer items are always the quickest to get snatched up.

"Anything that you would be buying your family this year for the holiday season, whether it's snack trays, whether it's... you know turkeys or frozen vegetables mashed potatoes, anything like that goes super, super quick in the food shed," explains Nicolle. "In less than 20 minutes, it will disappear because those are those items that are really needed right now."

Next week local schools will be breaking for the holidays, and kids who rely on the breakfast and school lunch programs won't be receiving that service.

Nicolle says that kid-friendly snacks and meals will also come in handy during the holidays.