Food bank use triples: Daily Bread Food Bank

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Meals financial institution use throughout Toronto has tripled from ranges earlier than the pandemic – and demand has reached report highs nearly each month this yr, in keeping with the Every day Bread Meals Financial institution.

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“We’re shocked each month once we do the calculations concerning the quantity of meals that we’re distributing,” stated Diane Dyson, Every day Bread’s interim vice chairman of analysis and advocacy.

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“We all know that through the pandemic, the variety of folks utilizing our providers doubled. With the added complication of recession and inflation, we’re tripled now.”

Earlier than COVID, Every day Bread would register about 60,000 meals financial institution visits every month within the GTA.

That has now hit 181,000 every month.

“It’s a bit scary,” stated Dyson.

“Folks use their financial savings, and so they promote something they’ve as a result of the meals financial institution is type of the final place anyone desires to come back. However when all these issues run out, then they present up at our doorways.”

Every day Bread provides meals donations to about 130 businesses throughout the GTA.

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“Each month since March, we now have hit a report variety of those that we’re serving,” stated Julie Lejeune, govt director of the Fort York Meals Financial institution within the metropolis’s core.

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“Proper now we’re serving about 2,000 folks per week – the best we now have ever served.”

That compares to only below 1,000 folks per week earlier than the pandemic struck.

The meals financial institution’s School St. location additionally has a scorching meal program that has had an analogous improve in demand.

Every day Bread says precarious employment, unaffordable housing, and rampant inflation are main elements pushing folks to depend on meals banks.

And meals inflation led the way in which in scorching Canadian’s pocketbooks in August.

Statistics Canada reported basic inflation clocking in at 7%.

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However grocery costs — particularly — superior by nearly 11% – the quickest price in 41 years.

Gemma Donn began volunteering at Parkdale Meals Financial institution originally of the pandemic after her work as a musician dried up.

“During the last six months, particularly due to inflation, there are much more people who find themselves coming who simply can’t afford the grocery retailer costs anymore,” stated Donn, who runs the financial institution’s volunteer and supply packages.

Whereas they used to serve about 2,000 folks every month, the Parkdale Meals Financial institution now caters to eight,000 folks month-to-month.

“We’re seeing households who possibly didn’t wrestle a lot earlier than COVID,” stated Donn.

slaurie@postmedia.com