After interviewing Beverley Elder, Executive Director for the Sidney Lions Food Bank (Can We Talk pg. 23), I realized Seaside is a little late on publishing this story. I guess better late than never though. We all know that local food banks exist but do we really understand the significance of them in our communities? I’ve always understood the need but I definitely didn’t recognize the depth to which the problem exists. After doing some research and scanning through the 2014 HungerCount Report, the numbers are very disheartening. But really, when it comes down to it we are all so busy and it’s tough to take notice of something that, in fact, is still somewhat of a hidden issue. This report shows that in a typical month, food banks in Canada now provide food and other support to more than three quarters of a million separate individuals – 841,000 people. This means that 170,000 more people each month are seeking assistance, compared to when the economic downturn hit in 2008 – a 25% increase. The report also highlights the troubling trends that contribute to the increase in household food insecurity and food bank use across the country. Fifteen years ago, on the Saanich Peninsula, the Sidney Lions Food Bank was serving approximately 400 people a month; it can now reach as high as 1,200.
The HungerCount 2014 study found that:
• Each month 90,000 Canadians are forced to ask for help from a food bank for the first time.
• 2 in 5 of those relying on this assistance are children.
• The number of single adults helped by food banks each month has doubled since 2001 – from 80,000 to 158,000.
The HungerCount 2014 report proposes key policy recommendations that can make significant progress in reducing the number of people who need help from food banks. These include:
• Investing in affordable housing.
• Providing more effective supports to low-income families with children.
• Helping Canadians get the skills they need for the well-paying jobs of today.
I guess we all have our charities we give to, and really how many times can we give? Not only that, but there are other not-for-profit organizations and small businesses in our community just trying to make ends meet. Where do we start and how can we make a difference?
On our cover for December, I was originally going for a very non-traditional one, but with my mindfulness of ‘giving back’, I remembered an interview I did with Alan Paterson, A.K.A. ‘Airport Santa’, last year, about this time. After losing his wife of 28 years to cancer in 2009, Victoria Hospice became the fundraising partner for him (santaal@shaw.ca). Hence, Santa graces our cover this issue.
During the holiday rush it’s easy to get caught up in (and stressed-out over) the buying and giving of gifts to family, friends and co-workers. So, in the midst of all this, it’s important to remember, not only during the holiday season but for all 12 months of the year that we need to think of giving back to our local community when we can. Whether it’s the Sidney Lions Food Bank or the Victoria Hospice, we just have to look around, listen and see where the need is.
Best Wishes for the Holidays!
