Less people are using the city’s food banks, however the people who are still using them are going more often.
Those statistics were revealed by Volker Kromm, executive director of the Regional Food Distribution Association in Thunder Bay, after the release of Food Banks Canada’s annual Hunger Count report.
“We have fewer people coming to food banks but they’re coming more often,” he said. “Generally what’s happening is those that are poor are getting poorer.”
Kromm pointed to the shifting job market of the past five years as being a significant factor for the changing need. He added that there are more people who are employed that are finding difficulty making ends meet and having money available for food.
“We may have more jobs but they’re not the kind of jobs we used to have,” Kromm said.
“I think the large part is what we call the working poor. Those people are making the largest impact on our food bank numbers, where they’re coming once a month or once every other month because they can’t find enough money to buy groceries.”
He said budgeting seminars to help those relying on food banks shows an optimal minimum wage of $14 an hour.
Kromm said the RFDA has seen a 14 per cent decrease in food hampers and a 16 per cent decline in meals provided, but is still seeing a rise in the amount of food for feeding programs.
He forecasts 23 per cent more food will be needed for this year compared to last.
A report released by Food Banks Canada on Tuesday showed that there are more than 800,000 people nationwide relying on food banks in a given month.
While that figure is a little below last year, it is still a significant increase compared to pre-recession numbers.
That trend is paralleled locally.
In Thunder Bay, the RFDA serves as a hub for distributing food to various groups. Kromm estimated there were 28 member groups about five years ago, but the number has now grown to 40 and counting.
He said there has been a clear increase in two different demographic groups that are using the services.
“We’re having younger singles and younger parents. That’s always been an incline,” Kromm said.
“There are also more seniors. If you go to some of the food banks you’ll see a fair number of seniors who just can’t make ends meet.”
In addition to seniors, Kromm said there has been more children relying on food banks, and children account for nearly 40 per cent of their clients.
He added the RFDA has been taking steps to make the food provided healthier and increase the nutritional value to prevent against ailments such as childhood diabetes.
