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As hunger and living costs soar to new highs locally and across the nation, the Oldies 100.9 and Workman’s OK Tire and Workman Engine Machine’s All Hands on Deck Food Drive is back this Thursday in Brighton and Trenton to help food bank volunteers restock shelves before kids return to class next month.
“It’s a good time in the summer (to donate) because people tend to forget that we’re here and that we do feed people all year-round, whether it’s winter, summer or any season,” says Brighton Fare Share Food Bank Manager Pat Artkin.
Artkin tells us more about the need locally.
Most food bank statistics in recent years echo a similar message around a growing number of people experiencing economic hardship and record numbers turning to food banks for help.
According to Feed Ontario’s latest 2024 Hunger Report: Unravelling at the Seams, food bank usage across the province continues to rise, with unique individual visits up more than 25 per cent over the previous fiscal year – and 86 per cent since 2019-2020. Meanwhile, there were more than 7.6 million visits for 2023-24, representing a 31 per cent spike from the year prior, and a 134 per cent jump since 2019-2020.
Similarly, in March 2024, Food Banks Canada reported more than two million visits to food banks across the nation – the largest number ever in history.
Trends such as increases in first-time users and more working families turning to food banks are also reflected locally.
“We’re also seeing people return to see us (who) haven’t been (to visit) for perhaps two and three years now …” continues Artkin.
And while numbers more recently have stabilized some – as in not climbing weekly – need remains high, with back-to-school adding another layer of pressure for area families, explains Artkin.
Trenton Care and Share Food Bank General Manager Craig Olivier has shared a similar sentiment around need this time of year, noting the additional costs for kids’ clothing, school supplies and more makes August and September challenging months. As a result, need spikes at the food bank, especially around demand for children’s school snacks, including peanut-free items, Olivier adds.
Meanwhile, living costs are already adding pressure at the food bank.
“We’re really in what a friend of mine referred to as a poly crisis,” continues Olivier. “I mean, it’s the cost of housing, it’s the cost of food, it’s the cost of utilities, and combine that with other things that are going in society, (and) there’s just so much stress on us to get through it.”
Olivier tells us more about changes in visitors in the wake of these challenges.
Those unexpected bills then translate to a trip to the food bank, volunteers often hear.
Both food banks are powered 100 per cent by volunteers and help thousands of local residents every year.
This Thursday, Aug 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Oldies staff will be at Chris and Angela’s No Frills and Sobeys in Brighton, and Smylie’s Your Independent Grocer in Trenton, collecting food and cash donations for the food banks with hopes residents will answer the call. We’ll have shopping lists for folks wondering about the most in-demand items at both food banks.
For more information, readers can also visit the dedicated All Hands on Deck Food Drive section on our website.
(Written by: Sarah Hyatt)
