A recent surge in the cost of food has forced families into poverty as many Innisfail citizens struggle to put food on their tables.
The Innisfail and District Food Bank recently reported a 12 per cent increase over the first quarter of the year compared to the same quarter from 2012.
“From July 1 to September 30, we did 183 (food) hampers,” said Carole Sim, volunteer coordinator at the food bank. “That's up 22 hampers from last year or 12 per cent and I don't know why it's gone up. Our adults are up, but our kids are down — We've got 286 adults, which is up 46 (adults) from the same period of last year, and 119 kids, which is down 57 (children) from last year, so I'm not really sure.”
She added the food bank needs canned fruit and veggies, meat, soup, rice, pasta and school snacks before the holidays hit the community the hardest.
“When we're looking to get healthy food to people with low income, it has to be a larger initiative than just what the food bank can offer. It's going to take a larger initiative to address such a large issue,” said Megan Cote, Town of Innisfail's Family and Community Support Services spokesperson. “Healthy food is more expensive, but that has to be changed on a policy number.”
As a result of the growing trend, FCSS has recently launched a Trick or Eat campaign to raise money for the Innisfail and Area Food Bank over Hallowe'en.
“Food insecurity, which is households not having enough adequate, affordable, nutritious food, is quite prevalent in Canada and quite high in Alberta,” said Cote. “As a result, many people need to access the food bank on a regular basis. This is a great way to help the food bank out and promote volunteerism among youth, and to get them aware of the issues around food insecurity. It's also to get them engaged and start caring about the issue.”
Trick or Eat is asking citizens across the country to collect $550,000 worth of food and $50,000 in online donations to support more than 100 food agencies across Canada on Oct. 31.
Instead of collecting candy from the community this Halloween, children are going to be collecting non-perishable items for the Innisfail and District Food Bank this fall.
Cote felt it was ironic to host a national fundraiser in Innisfail geared towards collecting nutritious foods for the food bank on a date children that want to binge on junk food have historically been relentless trick-or-treaters. She added it was impossible not to make a connection between the high cost of nutritious foods and the low cost of junk food as it's being highlighted as a problem through this fundraising initiative.
“We didn't plan it to be like that,” she explained, “but it's an Ontario-based fundraiser held nationally, and they may have planned it like that. I don't know.”
Youth that want to volunteer for the Hallowe'en spinoff event Trick or Eat can get an application form from school or contact FCSS at 403-227-7744. Adult volunteers are needed to transport the food collected and may contact FCSS to sign up.
The Innisfail and District Food Bank serves people between 1 and 3 p.m. every Tuesday at 4303 50 St. at the rear entrance, off of 49 Street, of the Co-op.
