Oakville's Fare Share Food Bank broke a record last Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, serving the highest known number of families in one calendar day.
According to the food bank, their staff say they served 148 families on Sept. 12. Stephen Rowe, president of Fare Share Food Bank, reported that the average family size on that day was 3.2 people.
Rowe expressed serious concern with the growing demand for the food bank, which has served the Oakville community for over 37 years.
Since last year, Rowe says the demand has been unlike anything they've ever seen before, serving over 27,000 people in 2023.
Read more here: ‘Highest demand in 37 years’; Oakville Fareshare Food Bank prepares for slowing donations as demand soars
The previous record for the number of families served in a single day was 136. "This time, it was 148," Rowe said. "Before COVID, on a busy night, we would serve 40 to 45 families."
Fare Share Food Bank operates every Monday and Thursday at 1240 Speers Road, with service hours on Thursday running from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Rowe said last Thursday did not slow down for a moment.
"It was busy all the way through, and then it just exploded," Rowe said. "The number of people that we're now servicing has exploded since COVID, just exploded. And nobody is paying attention to this number."
"If this continues, it's not sustainable," Rowe continued. "We're a small food bank, so we're Oakville, you look at Toronto, Hamilton, and Mississauga, their numbers are going through the roof too, everybody's feeling this. And our governments are not helping us out."
Fare Share Food Bank relies on food and monetary donations made through its website. Rowe says they've been fortunate to have consistent support from the Oakville community, but warns that the situation is becoming more critical as demand continues to rise.