The May 28 flood and U.S. drought have created a perfect storm that’s left the Regional Food Distribution Warehouse dangerously low in food supplies.
“If you look around our warehouse, you’ll find we’re basically empty,” said Volker Kromm, executive director of the RFDA.
“This is one of the lowest periods we’ve ever had at the RFDA.”
It’s not unusual for the food stocks to be down this time of year, but Kromm said this is extraordinary.
Some of the organization’s suppliers from southern Ontario no longer exist or have moved to the U.S. Where they used to get a truck or two of supplies once a month, they don’t receive anything now.
“Provincially we’re expecting to have less and less of those large donations. Instead they’re offering us discounts.”
The RFDA is in buying mode right now; using their cash donations to purchase the food needed but the demand is far outweighing the supply.
More than 16,000 people have used the 35 food banks the RFDA supplies and Kromm said that’s about an average 13 per cent increase per food bank compared to this time last year.
The May 28 flood in the city also impacted the number of donations the organization usually sees and Kromm said everyone in the charity field is feeling the pinch from donations being diverted to that cause.
“That is something extraordinary and very important that we support,” he said.
The U.S. drought, already causing some prices in Canada to rise, will also have an impact.
“We’re going to see great pressure,” said Kromm, adding normally at this time of year they are seeing food from gardeners and farmers come in.
“It’s going to be a pinch,” he said. “It’s going to make fresh, nutritious food unavailable to our clients.”
