Rising need a continued challenge for RFDA

For the last four years the story has been the same for Larry Brigham – food bank usage is rising.

Since 2006, the number of people using food banks in the Thunder Bay area has gone up 89 per cent.

"I feel a sense of satisfaction in terms of the fact the local residents are helping out and giving donations to assist, but I also feel a senses of sadness that our country and our city is having to face this difficult time," said the Regional Food Distribution Association president.

"We are told we’re coming out of a technical recession – probably one of the worst recessions since the Great Depression – but it doesn’t look like that when you’re facing people in food banks," added Brigham.

According to the Canadian Association of Food Banks’ annual Hunger Count, in 2010 food bank usage across the country rose by nine per cent. In Thunder Bay it rose 10 per cent and regional usage went up 16 per cent.

While last year’s Hunger Count had 40 per cent of Thunder Bay food bank users as children, this year the number rose to 46 per cent.

An alarming number is that for 10 per cent of user, it was their first time at a food bank, Brigham said.

"That’s quite startling," he said. "These are people who would have to get up the courage to come; it’s not easy to come to a food bank…they’d come in just really feeling some pressure just coming in the door."

While there is a need year-round for food donations, Brigham – a former Children’s Aid employee – said Christmastime is especially difficult for families struggling to survive.

"Sometimes tempers fly and things get difficult for families," he said. "They’re wishing they can provide for their kids and they just don’t have that."