The organizations running Niagara's major food banks are asking for help from all levels of government.
Due to the pandemic, the food banks are facing enormous pressure to keep up with increased demand.
The Hope Centre in Welland is reporting a 70 percent increase in visits last month compared to April of last year, including a 170 percent increase in families with children asking for help.
Project SHARE in Niagara Falls has 587 new families accessing their services for the first time since June of last year, Community Care of West Niagara is facing a 23 percent increase, and Community Care of St. Catharines and Thorold reports a 37 percent increase in people asking for food assistance and 20 percent increase in the Housing Help Program.
Port Cares Executive Director Christine Clark Lafleur says, "Even with the income supports provided by government since COVID-19 hit, all of Niagara’s registered food banks are experiencing significant increases in the number of people we are assisting compared to a year ago. The high cost of housing along with low supply of affordable and safe rental units, coupled with the impact of the pandemic on service sector jobs is driving the surge."
The organizations are asking government officials to work with service providers and develop sustainable interventions to reduce the conditions contributing to poverty.
Members of the public can also help ease the strain by donating non-perishable food or money to the organizations struggling to keep pace.