Like food banks across Canada, the Cochrane Food Bank is seeing an ever-increasing need for its service.
Manager Cathy Beaton has the numbers over the past two years.
“In 2021, there were 946 clients;” she says, “2022 there were 1,345.”
By “clients”, Beaton explains, she means client visits. And that’s not only for the individual, but everyone in their household.
Beaton expects the need to keep increasing year over year, unless the government gains control over the skyrocketing cost of living.
“This is real,” she remarks. “I even find that people who have two jobs are struggling. It’s not just low income, like the OSDS or welfare. It’s everybody.”
Beaton hopes the food bank’s supporters at the corporate and individual levels can increase their support, to help meet the demand.