In addition, 23 per cent of Canadians report they aren’t eating as much food as they think they should due to the rising cost of gas, rent, and groceries, and 61 per cent of Canadians believe the cost of housing is the number one barrier to being able to purchase healthy food. “Across the country there is an increase in people using food banks and first-time users.”Īccording to Food Banks Canada, 37 per cent of households accessing food banks have children and food bank use in single-parent families is on the rise. “We’re experiencing a big surge from the impact of inflation and housing costs and the last few years from the pandemic,” said Caroline Newton, chief communications officer of Food Banks Canada, a charity headquartered in Mississauga. This summer, the organization is sending out 175,000 food packs - an extra 25,000 compared to last year. “When school programs are closed during the summer months, we realize that school is a significant mechanism to address the issue of food insecurity.”įood Banks Canada’s After the Bell program aims to tackle the need by delivering healthy food packs to high-need communities across the country. Michael’s Hospital - a research centre tackling health and equity issues in communities across Canada. “Schools not only provide educational needs but are hubs for reaching the vulnerable populations through different programs,” said Katerina Maximova, a scientist at MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Food banks, summer camps, and city-run programs try to fill the void during the summer, but the pandemic and inflation have strained resources. While most children go to school to learn, for thousands of others it’s a lifeline, offering basic daily necessities. The program not only supports a child’s physical health, but also their mental and social well-being, a Toronto Public Health spokesperson says. The goal is to ensure that students who are at risk of poor nutritional intake have access to safe, adequate and healthy meals. In Toronto, 616 school communities receive municipal funding to support student nutrition programs reaching almost 220,000 students each day. “It helps a lot because sometimes I run out of money to go shopping.” She occasionally receives financial help from the children’s father when he’s able, but otherwise she’s on her own.ĭuring the academic year, each of her kids gets a $50 voucher from their respective schools in Toronto to buy food for the week. “There is a lot of strain because they eat more and are around more,” Gordon said. But from June to September when school is out, it’s a struggle. Simone Gordon has eight children and heavily relies on the food support programs offered at her kids’ schools to provide nutritious meals during the day.