Demand at the Lord’s Bounty Food Bank is up 10 per cent over this time last year. That’s the word from Dennis Hydamaka, the long-time food distribution chairman for the non-profit entity.
“Unfortunately we are very busy,” he said. “Normally for this time of the year we would quiet right down, but this year that isn’t happening. We’re increasing every month.”
The food bank currently has 187 client folders, representing 420 people who use the services.
“It’s a little bit disheartening to see all the poverty,” said Hydamaka. “With the increases in taxes and utilities and with the prices of food skyrocketing, those in the low-income area are in trouble.”
His says this year’s increase isn’t the highest he has seen, but it is getting there.
Hydamaka suspects the increased usage will continue until grocery prices drop.
“Most of our clients are on social assistance and I don’t think there has been a significant raise [in their payments] for a considerable length of time,” he said. “And with…the increase of taxes on lower-income houses…and the rise in [utility bills], not all landlords will swallow it. Even a three per cent increase will have to come from [tenants’] food bills.
“Some are already subsidizing their rent from their ability to buy food. I don’t see any end in sight, unfortunately.”
This year’s figures from Lord’s Bounty reveal a changing demographic among clients.
“We’ve probably dropped 12 per cent of the children we used to have,” Hydamaka said, “and now we have more single families and seniors.”
Between October 1, 2014 and July 6, 2015, the food bank gave out 1,143 hampers.
Typically, Hydamaka said, food banks only hand out non-perishable food items because of the added expense of offering healthy options.
But Lord’s Bounty clients are able to bring home more nourishment.
“We’ve spent $10,000 cash on healthy food this year,” said Hydamaka. “We’re one of the only food banks that hands out meat.”
Lord’s Bounty clients receive ground beef, chicken and canned fish.
“For a low-income household, a package of ground beef for $5 per pound is sometimes out of reach,” said Hydamaka. “They would have to buy the cheapest pack of wieners to get that protein.”
Unfortunately, he said, with the “demand so high, we’ve had to back down on how often we hand out meat.”
The partial strike at Hudbay, which started on May 2, doesn’t seem to be affecting the client list, said Hydamaka.
“We haven’t had any [strike-related clients] that I’m aware of. That’s not saying that it isn’t going to happen,” he said.
The food bank sees both returning and new clients.
“We’ve had a few who have been with us for 20 years,” he said. “It’s a little disheartening, but we’ve also had some real success stories.”
Hydamaka said one client in particular used the food bank for about five years before upgrading her education and attending university to become a social worker. She is now upgrading her education even further to work with troubled youth.
“That’s just one of our success stories,” Hydamaka said.
Other forms of success for the food bank come courtesy of the community, he said, as the non-profit is holding its own in terms of keeping up with the demand.
Throughout the year the food bank receives donations to keep the shelves stocked for those in need.
Recently, Hydamaka received two large food donations – one from a member of the community moving out of town and another from a business.
“The community has been great throughout the years,” he said. “If we need, quite often we get.”
