Saskatoon food bank says increase in demand isn’t easing | 24CA News
Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre mentioned the strain isn’t easing on them as grocery costs proceed to soar from inflation.
“With repeat visitors we are up to about 24,000 people a month and of the people who rely on the emergency food basket program, about 41 per cent are kids,” mentioned Deborah Hamp with the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre.
Statistics Canada mentioned Tuesday that the annual inflation fee for May cooled by a full proportion level to three.4 per cent, however grocery costs remained elevated.
In March, the Food Bank and Learning Centre broke customer quantity data.
“This is a really significant increase,” Hamp mentioned. “This is the highest numbers we have ever seen in the history of the Food Bank and Learning Centre.”
Food inflation has risen 9.0 per cent year-over-year, a determine that was practically unchanged from April.
Prices of edible fat and oils noticed a 20.3 per cent leap, whereas prices had been up 15 per cent for bakery merchandise and 13.6 per cent greater for cereals, based on the company.
Restaurant costs additionally jumped in May.
“When people are looking at a high cost of rent which is increasing, the high cost of fuel, we look at a significant impact in people’s lives and so we are definitely seeing an increase in our programs and it is just really hard for folks to get by right now,” Hamp mentioned.
Hamp mentioned an conscious group is an engaged group.
“We are asking folks to take a minute to think about how inflation and the cost of food is impacting people in Saskatoon. It’s impacting everyone.”
Saskatchewan has 36 meals banks and Hamp mentioned the elevated demand is a provincial problem.
“Saskatchewan has the lowest minimum wage in Canada,” Hamp mentioned. “It’s not providing living wage for people.”
The Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre is in search of donations and volunteers.
— with recordsdata from Global News’ Craig Lord
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
