Food banks across the country did their best to keep food on plates amidst 2023’s inflation hikes.
March 2023 saw record breaking numbers alone, estimating over 1.9 million visits to food banks nationally. In recap, food banks across the county saw a 32% uptick in demand from 2022, marking the highest year-over-year increase in usage ever reported. This generally coincides with the inflation that the country has struggled with. In Northumberland, Meghan Flindall, Operations Manager at Northumberland Fare Share Foodbank reports we were up 45%.
According to a survey reported by Food Banks Canada, the top reasons people accessed a food bank this year were food costs, housing costs, and low wages, but Flindall says it also affects incoming donations.
The most troubling finding from Food Banks Canada’s report is one third of food bank clients are children. The percentage held steady from the pre-pandemic period, which sits at 33% of food bank clients, but is still notably over-represented, as children under 18 only represent 20 per cent of the global population. It is also reported that another 12% of people were indigenous. Flindall reminded us that Fare Share does very little demographic reporting for confidential purposes, but what they did gather aligns.
Donations are accepted online at Northumberland Fare Share Food Bank or at either Fare Share location – 700 D’Arcy Street, Building #19, Cobourg and 34 South Street, Port Hope.
Written by: Noah Lorusso