A shortage of supplies at a food bank in eastern P.E.I. has volunteers worried they won't be able to keep up with demand.
Lawrence Power, a volunteer at the Southern Kings and Queens Food Bank in Montague, said the shelves are half bare.
"This is the first time we ever had to ask the people to give a little more, which you hate to do, because they're pretty generous as it is," he told CBC News.
Power said supplies are the lowest they have been in several years. The food bank is especially low on cereal, canned meat, fresh vegetables and items like pudding for children's lunches.
"The people are trying, but you don't get as much for your money any more, with the price of groceries going up, so I think that has a lot to do with it," he said.
Power said demand for the food is also increasing, with one or two additional families needing the services each week.
The Montague location used to serve approximately 175 people each month. That number has climbed to about 250 every month, Power said.
I have always found the Food Bank Model odd - those who are more fortunate donate crap food such as KD. The outcome - more dependency and a diet that is bad for you.
What I am seeing in places like Detroit - where there is no one to donate in large areas - is a shift away from dependency to groups starting to grow their own food. This is what happened in Cuba during the terrible period after the oil was cut off.
I am not saying that growing your own food is THE answer. I am saying that depending on gifts of tinned tuna and Sugar Smacks takes us no where but down.
Is it not time to rethink Food banks on PEI so that they help people in need and also lift them out of the poverty food trap?
