Food banks are struggling as the ever-growing demand for food greatly surpasses the amount of resources available.
Feed Ontario has revealed that 40% of food banks have had to reduce the amount of food provided to each person, and 50% of food banks that offer wrap-around support have had to cut extra services and programs.
And some food banks have had to consider shutting down completely.
“Food banks are doing everything they can to keep their doors open and their shelves full, but when donors start turning into clients, an impossible situation starts to emerge,” says Carolyn Stewart, CEO of Feed Ontario.
“Food banks do not have the resources to adequately meet the level of need in our province. As a result, even with the help of food banks, people and families are going hungry.”
Over the past eight years, the amount of people relying on food banks has been increasing non-stop: there has been a 134% increase in food bank usage since 2019.
This affordability crisis has not only increased demand for food banks’ services, but lowered the amount of food and support Ontarians have been able to donate.
“We’re seeing people that we used to see years ago, and people who were donors, now have to come for support,” says Christine Clarke-Lefleur from Port Cares in Port Colborne.
More than one million Ontarians visited food banks this year, which is equal to one out of every sixteen Ontarians.
“People only turn to food banks after they’ve exhausted all other options – and yet over one million Ontarians still needed our help,” explains Carolyn Stewart.
“This is the highest number of people on record, and is occurring at a time when donations are declining as more individuals can no longer afford to give. As a result, food banks are being stretched beyond their capacity and running out of resources at a time when people and families need them the most.”
Food banks are not funded by the government, and have to rely on donations.
“We need immediate and bold action against poverty,” says Stewart.
“We need all levels of government to prioritize poverty reduction and affordability, to set clear targets, and to be accountable. We want to see the number of people needing food banks go down. And we want to close our doors because our services are not needed, not because demand has grown beyond our capacity to be of service.”
Feed Ontario asks anyone who is able to give this holiday season to consider donating.
The full 2024 Hunger Report from Feed Ontario can be found at https://www.feedontario.ca/hunger-report-2024
Written by myFM Parkside Collegiate Institute co-op student Emily Ryckman.
