A local food bank on Vancouver Island has been seeing a big demand from the community.
The Comox Valley Food Bank has been around since 1983, focused on reducing hunger in the Comox Valley.
According to Deputy Executive Director Justin Lafortune, they have seen a 250 percent increase in demand from residents in the last two years.
“An amazing amount of growth during a time when people are feeling the pinch financially,” said Lafortune.
“When I came on board, we saw about 50 people a day, and now we see 180 families a day.”
Because of that big jump, Lafortune says they have had to expand hours since May, with Wednesdays isolated as community partner focus day. Other changes include growing resource management and having to bring in food, which can be a challenge at times.
With the winter season seeing an increase in demand, Lafortune says what people don’t factor in is that as it gets colder, people get hungrier.
“Their natural instinct is to store more food, meaning they need more food, so they’re here as often they can be,” said Lafortune.
“That increased demand as we get into our hamper drive season creates challenges. The feedback from the community, fundraising efforts, donor pool is appreciated that time of year.”
While the Bank uses 115,000 pounds of rescued food per month to provide what’s needed, they are able to rescue more food in the Valley.
Lafortune says for most food banks across BC and Canada, they need money, with hopes the next BC government can provide the money needed to support the food banks and to get more protein and raw goods.
With the next eight weeks focused on them getting targeted donations, they ask the community to donate either online or by dropping donations off at the Bank, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The bank will expand those hours for the month of December.
