The Food Bank Society of the Yukon is seeing an increase in demand from residents across the territory.
Dave Blottner, executive director of the Whitehorse Food Bank which is operated by the society, said the increase has doubled during the holiday season.
“Things have been busy here, especially around the festive season when people are feeling that extra pressure to put food on the table,” he said. “Over the last few years since the pandemic, we have seen the number of clients double at the food bank.”
Blottner said the food bank sees between 2,000 to 2,200 people coming to pick up food hampers each month. He said the food bank also ships food supplies to people who need them in Watson Lake, Atlin, Carmacks, Haines Junction and a few other communities on request, noting that seven days worth of food for each person in a household is provided once in a calendar month.
Erin Filey-Wronecki is the chief development officer at Food Banks Canada, said reliance on food banks across the country is at an all-time high.
In the territories alone, she said, there has been a 7.6 per cent increase in food bank use since 2019. She said there are about two million monthly visits to food banks across the country.
“We are seeing an all-time high in food bank usage and that, of course, continues into the Yukon,” she said. “Food insecurity is much more complex in the north than it is in the south. But they (the Whitehorse Food Bank) are doing amazing work and making sure that folks across the territory are able to put food on the table and the team there is just absolutely incredible.”
Filey-Wronecki said significantly higher prices in the north means it’s simply harder to make ends meet, in addition to the complicated logistics work that happens to get products into the territory.
“Then there are the long-standing impacts of colonialism and residential schools that disproportionately impact the territories with their highest Indigenous population.”
She noted that this is a critical time for fundraising for food banks across the country.
“About 60 per cent of the revenue we get from individual donors comes in the last six weeks of the year. So, right now, the food banks across the country are absolutely working really hard to make sure that they raise the funds needed to deliver the services in their community.”
In addition to the usual hampers the Whitehorse Food Bank provides each month, Blottner said it will also be offering turkeys, hams and all the fixings for a festive dinner. On Dec. 20. beginning at 6 p.m., residents can visit the food bank downtown to pick up a ham or turkey and all the goods for side dishes.
“We want to make sure that everyone gets something for Christmas,” Blottner said.
The annual holiday food drive in Whitehorse runs from Nov. 30 to Dec. 24. During the drive, residents make food or monetary donations to help local families in need. All donations go directly to the food bank.
Blottner said the food bank partners with the Real Canadian Superstore and Save On Foods, which run the holiday drive.
“They’re encouraging folks in the stores to either put aside a cash donation or you can donate points, or you can buy food and donate it and put it aside so that we can come get it to help meet the demands that are coming in,” he said.
The most in-demand items from the food bank right now include pasta sauce, dry pasta, canned fruits and vegetables and non-perishable boxed food like Kraft Dinner.
“Programs like these go a long way and really help us in meeting the demands and needs of people,” Blottner said.
Filey-Wronecki said it’s easy for people to make a donation if they’re already shopping. She said baby food and baby formula are often in high demand.
“So you know, baby formula can be incredibly pricey and so it’s hard to squeeze into the budget,” she said.
She added that personal hygiene products such as toilet paper or or bathroom tissue or diapers and tooth paste are other items also in high demand.
“They are a real need that all of us require and they take a bite out of the family budget.”
She said it’s important for people to give during the holiday season because there’s skyrocketing use of food banks which has caused some strains.
“They’re working really hard to make sure that everybody in their community can put food on the table. So, it’s really important for those of us that are still able to make a gift to make a gift this holiday season because there are also people who perhaps aren’t necessarily turning to food banks, but are having to make other cuts in their budgets. For those of us that have the capacity to make that gift. It’s really important that we do that so that nobody in our community goes without anything.”
Blottner said the food bank is open to everyone.
“The thing that qualifies someone who uses the food bank is being hungry. We don’t turn anyone away. The first time you come in, we’re just going to ask for a single piece of ID for you to prove that you are who you say you are and that’s it.”
Contact Patrick Egwu at patrick.egwu@yukon-news.com