Record-breaking number of Calgarians relying on food banks - Action News
Home WebMail Monday, November 11, 2024, 05:42 AM | Calgary | -1.6°C | Regions Advertise Login | Our platform is in maintenance mode. Some URLs may not be available. |
Calgary

Record-breaking number of Calgarians relying on food banks

A full-time job isn't enough to insulate a historic number of Canadians from food insecurity, according to an annual report released Thursday.

Full-time job not enough to insulate historic number of Canadians from food insecurity, says annual report

Volunteers wearing blue shirts and gloves sort through packaged food donations in a warehouse.
The No. 1 reason cited for food bank usage is that a full-time job isn't enough to cover the cost of food, according to survey respondents in Food Banks Canada's annual survey. (CBC)

More Calgarians are resorting to food banks than ever before.

The numbers of people who rely on food banks arebreaking records across the country, with Calgary leading the way in food insecurity, according to the annual Food Banks Canada survey released Thursday.

The demandis unprecedented, says Shawna Ogston ofthe Calgary Food Bank.

Usage has risen steadily throughout the pandemic, with the Calgary Food Bank now offering hampers to those in need every 10 days. Pre-2020, hampers containing a week's worth of food were offered only once every 30 days.

Ogston says many clients are finding it tough to ask for help.

A blonde woman in a multi-coloured flower shirt stands in a warehouse.
'We are seeing skyrocketing demand for emergency food hampers every month,' says the Calgary Food Banks Shawna Ogston. (CBC)

"For alot of clients, this is their first time experiencing any social service system, so there is a lot of guilt and shame before they even pick up that phone," she said.

The Hunger Count survey showed both the visits and the number of people affected in Calgary have more than doubled since 2019, as recipients struggle to feed themselves and their families.While 42 per cent of Calgary food bank clients live on their own, 37 per cent of recipients are children.

The No. 1 reason for accessing food banks, according tosurvey respondents, is that income from a full-time job isn't enough to live on.

A graph showing unemployment levels in Canada as compared to food bank usage.
Food bank visits in 2022 are continuing to spike above prepandemic levels, breaking the trend of the unemployment rate to lead or keep pace with Canadian food bank usage. (Food Bank Canada)

"We attribute most of that to the discrepancy between income versus the cost of living in Alberta," said Arianna Scott, CEO of Food Banks Alberta.

The claim mirrors statistics that despite Canada's falling unemployment rate of 5.2 per cent this September, food bank visits across the country are at all time highs.

Food banks themselves are struggling to manage rising costs, and concern is growing about keeping pace with demand, says Scott.

Sustainable funding for food banks, an increase in affordable housing,and increased government benefits are among the recommendations in the nationalreport.

The Calgary Food Bank says that anyone who needs food can call 403-253-2055 or schedule a visit online at calgaryfoodbank.com.

With files from Colleen Underwood