Since 2019, Food Banks BC has seen an 80-per-cent spike in use.
That might seem like a shocking number—until you look at the Whistler Food Bank’s stats. During that same timeframe, it has seen a 603-per-cent increase in visits.
“We’re serving higher numbers than we did during the onset of COVID,” says Jackie Dickinson, executive director of Whistler Community Services Society (WCSS), which runs the food bank. “During that time, because there was this anticipated increase in need because of how it would impact the economy across Canada, we moved to the conference centre. We redeployed volunteers and staff there and we were open 40 hours a week … We’re actually serving more people now out of our 8000 Nesters Road location a month.”
Currently, the food bank is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.
To that end, WCSS is at the tail end of a fundraiser to raise $100,000 for the food bank. So far, the community has donated $88,000—thanks in part to the Touchet family, who offered matching funds up to $20,000.
While both food and funds are appreciated, WCSS works with food distributors to maximize purchasing.
“We did an assessment earlier this year and [found] … if you gave us $1, we could basically triple our purchasing power versus you just buying that can at the grocery store,” Dickinson said.
Last year, the food bank saw 21,137 visits, up from 3,005 in 2019. That includes 2,061 kids and 1,038 families.
“We really did feel as if we were starting to see more families come in than we had seen, and so our team went back to the data that we’ve been collecting … and the anecdotal thoughts we had were correct,” Dickinson said. “We’ve seen a 61-per-cent increase just from last year of children coming into the food bank compared to the year prior. That is really something, too. What we have to keep in mind is that a food bank line doesn’t really tell the whole story around who’s impacted, because we at WCSS are very fortunate with private donor support and support from the school affordability fund and provincial funding from the government to offer a school food program.”
That program contributes between 80,000 and 100,000 snacks per school year, which could help some families avoid needing the food bank.
However, there is some good news in the numbers, too. Pre-pandemic, food bank visitors would come in one to three times total. That increased, on average, to more than six times a year per visitor.
But now “we are seeing people come less often and for those shorter, specific times,” Dickinson said.
But that means WCSS has fewer chances to connect food bank visitors to their other program offerings.
“If people are coming in less frequently, then we have such a strong responsibility to connect with them when they are in this space and ensure they’re getting what they need, because we may not get a second chance or third chance to see them, and so we really want to make sure that they leave the space feeling well supported,” Dickinson said.
It’s likely not a surprise to anyone that the reason for food bank visits has changed, too.
Currently, the high cost of living connected to housing and food costs, along with low work hours—which has more to do with full-time hours throughout the year than daily hours—tops the list.
“Illness and injury always sits as a primary reason,” Dickinson added. “From 2010 to 2020, that was the primary reason people were coming to our food bank. And although it still sits somewhere in the top five, it is no longer the primary reason. It is absolutely linked to affordability.”
As they near the finish line of their campaign, Dickinson said any amount can help.
“Sometimes when we think about giving, we’re not sure if what we have to offer is enough,” she said. “And anything, no matter what the amount that people can give us, it will help us get to that $100,000 goal. What you might think is little is big to us. We’re really appealing to the community to get to that $100,000 with just over $10,000 remaining.”
To donate, visit mywcss.org/fundraiser.
