The Oakville Fareshare Food Bank reported record numbers in 2023, serving over 27,000 people. As the holiday season concludes, Fareshare is uncertain about what to expect in the upcoming months.
“There are four main holidays where people think about food banks: Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, and our donations skyrocket during that period,” said Stephen Rowe, President of Fareshare Food Bank.
“But, at the end of December, our donations will drop to almost zero,” he continued. “And we will have to keep going after the bump at Easter to make it through September.”
The Food Bank has two warehouses on Speers Road, stocked with both donated and purchased food. The donated items undergo a sorting process managed by some of Rowe's 84 volunteers who categorize each item. However, Rowe mentions that certain warehouse sections are expected to be nearly empty by September.
At first glance, it's challenging to envision the Fareshare Food Bank being empty or how it would accommodate the growing number of people who depend on it with a reduced inventory.
When asked how they will address the decline, Rowe explained that they will need to seek support from the community. Given the generous contributions observed throughout the past holiday season, he remains optimistic that the community will rally behind them during this challenging time.
“The community has been very good; our monetary donations are up, and so are the food donations this year,” Rowe said.
Oakville has proven to be a strong contributor in terms of community donations and fundraising initiatives. Notable efforts include the $11,350 raised by 100 Guys Who Care and $12,290 from a fundraiser hosted by The Original Six Line Pub.
Read more: Inaugural gathering of 100 Guys Who Care Oakville raises thousands for charity.
Read more: The Original Six Line Pub raised over $12,000 for Oakville’s Fareshare Food Bank.
But still, this year is unlike any other when it comes to usage, so much so that the Fareshare Food Bank has begun asking clients to provide a notice of assessment when they show up to ensure they’re eligible.
This is the table that the Fareshare Food Bank follows when determining if someone is eligible to use their services based on their income. The numbers on the left are the low-income cut-offs (LICOs) outlined by the government as eligible for use, while the numbers on the far right are what Fareshare has adjusted to so more people can have access.
In response, Michael Reid, President of the Oakville Community Association, expressed, "People making $30,000 a year, depending on their situation, probably need it because we know the dollar isn't stretching as far as it used to."
Reid explained the outcome of the association's Keep Warm Program and emphasized that access to community support can make a world of difference for Canadians in challenging times.