Winnipeg Harvest is flying supplies to a northern community that has been experiencing a difficult spring and summer.

The northern port town of Churchill, MB, has been cut off by land to the rest of the province since May. Severe flooding this spring washed out parts of the rail line and has made the transportation of food difficult and expensive.

Winnipeg Harvest, along with the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) and The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, decided to work together, since the latter two were taking a trip to Churchill.

"We'd recently been up to Churchill," said Chuck Davidson, president and CEO of The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce. "One of the issues is their local food bank and being able to bring food up there to help those in the community. . . .  so we've partnered with Winnipeg Harvest, AMM and Fast Air to take some hampers to the community."

Davidson said that costs are about five times what they normally are, since everything needs to be taken to Churchill by plane.

The supplies included an assortment of frozen meat as well as diapers, which were supplied by Winnipeg Harvest.

"When communities are in crisis, Harvest is there," said Chris Albi, Communications Manager at Winnipeg Harvest. "We want to make sure we get food to hungry people and at the end of the day, that is our number one mission."

The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce and AMM have meetings in Churchill as part of their regular schedule, but also to hear from the local business owners.

"Municipalities and business have a strong connection," said Chris Goertzen, president of AMM and the mayor of Steinbach. "We thought this was appropriate not only to have meetings with the local officials . . . but also to do our part for the food bank."

Davidson encouraged anyone who is headed to Churchill to bring their own hamper to help out the local food bank.

"If you can pack light and put something together, it would be greatly appreciated," he said.