With a sharp rise in demand facing food banks locally and nationwide, Canadians are feeling economic pressures that have come with the rising cost of living, wrote a representative of the Centre Emergency Food Centre in Ottawa.
According to the emergency food centre, March 2024 marked the highest food bank usage in history, with over two million visits across Canada.
“Centretown Emergency Food Centre Ottawa is at the frontline, with usage in Ontario soaring by 116.8 per cent since 2019,” wrote the local food bank in an email.
“This year, we’re serving 50 per cent more clients than last year, reflecting the unprecedented rise in demand for food bank services in Ottawa. With rising grocery prices and reduced support from the Ottawa Food Bank, it’s more challenging than ever to meet the growing needs of our community,” said Dennis Hansen, Manager at Centretown Community Food Centre.
CCFC has seen a steady increase in the number of clients accessing their services. Image by Centretown Emergency Food Centre Ottawa (CCFC).
Based on the HungerCount 2024 report from Food Banks Canada, there were over two million visits per month to food banks across Canada, compared with an estimated one million visits per month, measured five years ago.
Children accounted for nearly 700,000 of these monthly visits, added Food Banks Canada.
The organization relates this increase in demand to inflationary pressures rising since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Loblaw Companies Ltd. Feed More Families™ Food Drive is running between November 28th and December 24th, across Canada.
Those interested in contributing can make a cash donation at the checkout of any store where President’s Choice products are sold — such as Loblaws — or by donating food items in the bin at the front of the store, wrote Food Banks Canada.
Each store teams up with a participating food bank — and 100 per cent of donations are passed along to that local food bank.
To further help those in need, Loblaws will match the first $100,000 of cash gifts collected through this campaign, they added.
Centretown Emergency Food Centre Ottawa is calling for donations of non-perishable food items, like peanut butter, canned tuna, vegetables, soup, beans, cereal, dry past, and Kraft Dinner.
Suggested in-store donations during this holiday campaign include:
Canned meat and fish
Canned vegetables
Nut butters
Low-sugar canned fruit
Whole-grain foods (e.g. oatmeal, brown rice, barley)
Alternative milks (e.g. powdered milk, almond milk, rice milk)
Additionally, essentials like toothpaste, toothbrushes, and toilet paper are needed to meet the growing demand in Ottawa.
According to the emergency food centre, donations can be dropped off at their loading dock on Mondays, Tuesday, and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. or Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon.
“Every donation, no matter the size, helps bring relief and care to those facing tough times. Financial contributions are also greatly appreciated and can be made directly through our website,” wrote Hansen.
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