The co-ordinator of the Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force warned we can't continue to rely on charity driven foodbanks to support our most vulnerable population.
Jill Umbach said the high cost of living is translating to higher demand and lower donations for many local food banks.
"Some of the organizations (are seeing demand) shooting through the roof and found the Salvation Army has gone from feeding 600 people a month last year to 1,000 people a month this year," Umbach revealed. "We're seeing increases in so many of our food banks. And at other food banks, it's not the increase as much a change in the demographics, and the people who are going to the food bank."
Umbach explained that demand for food banks spiked over the past few years.
"So, we saw a significant increase during the pandemic, particularly through the lockdown, and we just haven't gone back down again," she said."Yet what's happening, you know, and I respect everybody, right now everybody is kind of pulling in a little bit. Resources are tight for every household, so the giving is not as high."
But she stressed income is the real issue, as there is a lot of food to go around.
"Not having enough income to be able to be resilient during these fluctuating costs and increasing cost of living," she pointed out. "So one thing we do advocate for is that as much as we can to support the food banks because they're our safety nets, at the same time advocating the government, why don't we have a national lunch program across the country that supports children in schools? Why don't we have a basic income?"
Umbach added rising prices are sending middle class families to the food bank to make ends meet.
"We're starting to see some families who have never visited the food bank before saying that my mortgage has gone up and you know, things are tight and incomes definitely are not increasing along with the cost of living," she continued.
She suggested its time for more government support, as food banks usually rely on donations alone to meet a very basic need.
"People like this power and others do donate from the private sector, but not that sustained funding from the government or elsewhere that keeps the doors open," she worried.
