File photo of the Interfaith Food Bank in Lethbridge. (Lethbridge News Now)

By Justin Goulet

Interfaith Food Bank bracing for boost in users in 2022

Oct 31, 2021 | 6:05 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Interfaith Food Bank is preparing for next year to be very busy.

Executive Director Danielle McIntyre told LNN that the society has been “riding a crazy wave” since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. She explained that when the health crisis first began, the food bank saw a sharp increase in users and then “a very sharp decrease.”

McIntyre said, “as soon as supports like CERB were available, people had money to buy their own groceries, so they didn’t have to come to the food bank.” However, as time went on and financial supports started to come to an end, Interfaith started to see another rise in clients, especially over the last few months.

“We haven’t quite hit our pre-pandemic numbers, but we are bracing for impact in 2022, when we’re expecting our numbers to increase quite drastically.”

McIntyre said normally, Interfaith would see roughly 600 to 650 households per month. That dropped to “about half” at the early part of the pandemic once supports like CERB became available. The lower numbers they would see hovered around 1,300 individuals every month – as opposed to 1,500 to 1,700.

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She noted though, that the food bank’s numbers usually tend to trend upwards on a normal year when the weather turns cooler.

“We’re hoping that the community will continue to back us. We’ve been so fortunate to have the community support that’s kept our doors open throughout all of this craziness and we’re really counting on them to be there for us as we enter these colder winter months now.”

HUNGER COUNT

Last week, Food Banks Canada released the 2021 HungerCount, looking at food bank usage rates across the country. The report found that Alberta had one of the nation’s highest rates.

READ MORE: Alberta has one of Canada’s highest food bank usage rates: 2021 HungerCount

McIntyre told LNN that “it is not only the pandemic and the recent job losses and job interruptions from that, but the rising costs of living that are really putting strain on food banks.”

“[That’s] not just for us and having to spend more on the food that we’re distributing, but fuel costs are very high and if we’re feeling it at this end, we can only imagine what it’s like for the people themselves.”

She noted that a main trend the team at Interfaith has seen is new clients as of late, “or people who we haven’t seen in years that are coming to the food bank because of this new situation with the economy having been masked, from having these kind of temporary supports out there.”

“With that coming to an end, we’re expecting that some people are going to be in some pretty tight times coming up and we are going to be there for them, for sure!”

Those needing assistance can contact the food bank as well, with McIntyre noting that prospective clients don’t have to make an appointment.

“You just come down and visit with us for a couple minutes and then we determine how long or how we’re able to help you out.”

Anyone wishing to volunteer with Interfaith can call 403-320-8779 or visit the food bank’s website here.