Food banks in northern Ontario are struggling to keep up with increased use at food banks this summer. The Sudbury Food Bank said that from April to October, food donations slow down and shelves become emptier. But while donations are reduced, officials said demand for help has never been higher. “It’s about 1,800 people in total between January and the end of July who are new users to our food bank,” said Natalie Labbée of the Sudbury Food Bank. “That’s not individual users -- that’s also including children. And we have the demographics that show that there are more people that are accessing our food banks than ever before.” The Salvation Army in Sault Ste. Marie, meanwhile, said donations have been down for a year as that city faces economic challenges. “Everything is so expensive now,” said Sean Furey of the Salvation Army. “People can’t afford to donate as much as they used to -- and we noticed immediately after the (Algoma Steel) layoffs were announced here at the steel plant that donations dropped dramatically. And they have not bounced back.” Furey said it’s “scary” to look at the empty shelves when so many people are in need of help. “There are so many empty shelves,” he said. “We have canned tomatoes -- probably a two-year supply of canned tomatoes -- but you can’t feed people with tomatoes. It’s an ongoing issue. This is the worst year, I think, I’ve ever seen.” Labbée said supplies that used to last four months are now gone after 2 ½ months. The organization is spending around $120,000 to $150,000 a month on grocery orders. Both organizations are relying on grocery partners, but Labbée said discount grocery apps are reducing the food coming into the food bank by more than 67,000 pounds. “Only 40 per cent of the people using food banks are on Ontario Works or ODSP,” she said. “Sixty per cent are actually working poor.” While they are asking their partners for a week’s worth of food, some are only able to provide three or four days’ worth. “The way that we have everything designed with our partners at Feed Ontario and Food Banks Canada, and the limit of volunteers working and the availability of them to be open not just once a day, once a month,” said Labbée.
