THUNDER BAY – More than 14,000 people in Northwestern Ontario make regular use of food banks.
On Friday Minister of Municipal Affairs Bill Mauro spent a portion of his day helping to create awareness to the issue, briefly helping workers at the Regional Food Distribution Association sort through donated food destined to feed the region’s hungry this fall.
The Great MPP Food Sort was a province-wide initiative aimed at highlighting the growing problem of hunger throughout Ontario.
While ideally the problem would not exist, Mauro said his government is doing its best to reduce the reliance on food banks.
“All governments are dealing with this and struggling with this. We do our best through a variety of program, whether it’s support from places like this, whether it’s the school breakfast program, whether it’s putting a lot of dollars into social housing or whether it’s putting lot of dollars into the homeless prevention initiative,” Mauro said.
According to stats provided by the RFDA, about 335,000 people in Ontario access food banks each month and one-in-three clients are children. Food bank usage has remained higher than it was prior to the most recent recession.
Brendan Carlin, community services manager at the RFDA, said while he’s hopeful Thunder Bay’s participation in the basic income project can alleviate some of the need for food banks in the city, it will take time.
Hunger is a problem and for now awareness is key.
“We want it to be known people can tackle on a local level. They can donate to places like the RFDA or other food banks in the city. They can volunteer at their local food bank. They can raise awareness on their own with their friends – hold a party with a food drive,” Carlin said.
“It’s something we all need to work on together.”
Hunger Month will culminate on Sept. 28 to 30 with the Harvest for Hunger Food Drive at 14 grocery stores around the city, including all Metro and Safeway locations, the Real Canadian Superstore, both No Frills, Westfort Food, Skaf’s, Odena’s and Walmart stores on Memorial Avenue and Dawson Road.
Donors can support the drive online at www.foodbanksnorthwest.ca.
