The Goldstream Food Bank is appealing to the public for donations, as they face their season of greatest strain following a rapid uptick of those in need.
Since April, clients to the Goldstream Food Bank have gone up 10 per cent each month, with 27 additional families signed up in August, said Gayle Ireland, a volunteer with the food bank for 35 of the 38 years itB次元官网网址檚 operated in the western communities. On one day during the week of Sept. 6, volunteers handed out food hampers to 65 families in just three hours, she said.
B次元官网网址淎nything that we can get this time of year to fill our shelves B次元官网网址� weB次元官网网址檙e really, really grateful,B次元官网网址� Ireland said, looking at shelves left almost completely bare following the Sept. 14 distribution.
While the food bank is not in danger of running out of its essentials that provide nutritious hampers for clients, it is in need of those extra items that round out pantries B次元官网网址� snacks for kids after school, for example.
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Items above and beyond the staples are especially needed during this time of year as the food bankB次元官网网址檚 stocks typically run lowest during the months of August, September and October, Ireland said. B次元官网网址淧eople are on holidays and donations drop off,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淏ut people are hungry 12 months a year.B次元官网网址�
Pandemic restrictions have also made their distribution process slightly more difficult. B次元官网网址淪ince 1983 weB次元官网网址檝e done it one way, and the pandemic made us have to sit down and check health protocols (aligned with) the B.C. Center of Disease Control,B次元官网网址� Ireland said. Volunteer Darrell Colwell was involved with removing each of the bankB次元官网网址檚 shelves and measuring the roomB次元官网网址檚 square footage to determine that 13 would work there while maintaining a safe social distance.
The reduction of their staff from at least 20 has B次元官网网址渏ust been horrendous,B次元官网网址� Ireland said. B次元官网网址淏ut weB次元官网网址檝e done a fine job.B次元官网网址�
Following her decades of experience with the food bank, Ireland said the recent significant uptick of senior and young family clients correlates with rising costs of living throughout Greater Victoria. Rentals.ca reports a one-bedroom apartment in the region averaged $1,756 this July, rising 8.7 per cent over June and 11.6 per cent over July 2020, making Greater Victoria the fourth most expensive region to rent in Canada.
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B次元官网网址淎s weB次元官网网址檙e saying, everythingB次元官网网址檚 going up like 10 per cent,B次元官网网址� Colwell said. B次元官网网址淪ome come in for groceries that they could afford one year ago.B次元官网网址�
Ireland also said the uptick correlated with the repeal of COVID benefits such as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit.
Colwell said one client with a wife and very young son made their first visit to the food bank on Sept. 14, after losing their job and an opportunity to return to school both because of the COVID pandemic.
B次元官网网址淭he amount of food that we give is always overwhelming to people, because of the fact that we do give so much,B次元官网网址� Colwell said, recalling their meeting. Donations to the food bank are B次元官网网址渆asing some of that stress off the person, so they can think about something else and not have to worry about the food part,B次元官网网址� he said.
Do you have a story tip? Email: kiernan.green@blackpress.ca.
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