Regina Food Bank continues to see increase in usage
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought a steady rise in food bank usage across Canada.
Now record-setting inflation is keeping food banks busy.
CEO of the Regina Food Bank John Bailey, said the same can be said in the Queen City.
“We’re up about 10 per cent since January,” Bailey said. “That has a lot to do with some of the ongoing economic pressures with the pandemic but also that ties in with some of the inflationary costs we’re seeing too. It’s just more people needing our support,” he said.
Bailey said inflation has caused many people one the edge to go over to a point where they need the food banks’ support.
“Our hope is that it’s short term, but it [usage] continues to be on the rise for several months now where this inflationary pressure has been causing an increase in demand,” Bailey said.
Bailey said during the pandemic the food bank saw about 290-300 hampers per day, which is in the neighborhood of around 1,000 people per day.
Recently they have been around 320 hampers a day, which Bailey said adds another 60-70 households.
“As we go along we’re looking at seeing how much more we need to expand our daily service because the wait time for hampers is continuing to creep up on us, so we keep adding more capacity in terms of what we’re getting out the door.”
Currently, Bailey said monetary donations are the most helpful because it allows them to buy directly from producers and wholesalers and get the foods they need most to families as they need it.
Donations can be made at ReginaFoodBank.ca.
“The other thing is as we sort of come out of COVID-19 and restrictions we’re always looking for volunteers. So if you want to go to our website and sign up to volunteer the donation of time is also always appreciated,” Bailey said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
BREAKING Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.