Food bank braces for distinct demand

Church group asks people to help the needy, especially seniors

While an increasing number of people are accessing the Bridgewater and Area Interchurch Food Bank during these economically challenging times, the organization wants to broaden its reach even more so.

“The one worrisome thing that I have are seniors who are not capable of getting out and they're on a fixed income,” said food bank co-ordinator John Biddle.

“They're too proud to go to a food bank.”

Bridgewater's inter-church food bank is so named because “we work with the churches quite a bit,” Biddle said in encouraging them to help seniors who might need assistance.

“I had a meeting not that long ago, saying that it would be an idea just to talk from the pulpit to people that are in church and just say, ‘Look, if you know anybody that is elderly and does not have a means of getting to the food bank or whatever, get their names and get it to the food bank and we can work something out.'

“Particularly those seniors that are on fixed income.

Let's face facts, yeah, there was an OAS (Old Age Security) increase in July, but it's not going to take care of the increase in the cost of living. And they don't give that much more in CPP (Canada Pension Plan), either. If people are just living on those two items, they've got to be finding it extremely difficult.”

MARKED INCREASE

Overall, rising costs in food and fuel costs have translated into more visitors at the food bank that serves Bridgewater and area.

“Up to the end of August of this year, compared to the same period last year, we were up 28.3 per cent,” Biddle reported. “I'm afraid to say that, with the price of furnace fuel and the rest of it, we may be seeing an increase over and above that.

“You've got the price of food going up and you've got the price of fuel going up, the two staples that people want. They want to have a nice, warm home or an apartment or whatever, and they like to have food on the table.

“You're sitting there with a coin in your hand and you say, ‘What do I do? Do I flip it for food and or do I flip it for heat?'”

‘GENEROUS PEOPLE’

At the Bridgewater food bank on Churchill Street, the community and volunteers are striving to keep pace with the growing demand. While the shelves are kept relatively well-stocked, new challenges are possibly in the winter forecast.

“We're holding our own,” Biddle said. “There's an awful lot of generous people in this community and we're doing quite well, so far.

“(But) my worry is the fact that if this (trend) continues, we're going to see more and more and more people, and it's not going to be as easy for us to give out as much as we normally do. I mean, you don't want to give out food for a family of four that's going to last two days. You've got to give them more than that.

“As I say, if the numbers keep increasing like they have been, we could find it somewhat difficult.” So, it's a certainty that any measure of help is useful at any time, regardless of the prevailing economic climate.

“We feel that, as of now, we are in pretty good shape, but any additional help that we can get, whether it's a food donation or a cash donation, (is appreciated),” Biddle said. “And a cash donation is by far the best, because then we can buy in volume and we wait for the sales.

“But you get people that decide that they'll go to the grocery store and get a can of this or a can of that and they're paying top retail price.”

MORE FREQUENT VISITS

On average, about 750 to 800 clients utilize the Bridgewater food bank services each month.

“As a matter of fact, I think there was one month here, not that long ago, where we had over 1,000,” said Biddle, who co-ordinates the food bank operation along with office manager Suzanne Stewart.

“And we are getting new people.” Despite the challenging times, Bridgewater has been able to help more people more often.

About three years ago, regular clients were entitled to access the food bank once every four weeks.

But, with the cost of living “really going up,” that frequency option was increased

to every three weeks and later to its current rate of every two weeks, Biddle recalled.

“We would like to maintain that if we possibly can,” he said. “I mean, we’re not giving out enough food for a family of four to last two weeks.

“(But) when you consider it was once every four weeks, and now it’s once every two weeks, it’s a huge difference to a lot of people.”

The food bank is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each Tuesday and Friday at 150 Churchill.

‘TIME OF GIVING’

The goodwill that’s apparent before and during Christmas often translates into a boost for food banks like the Bridgewater service.

“I’m not saying that we don’t get some people that donate regularly throughout the year, but the majority of people tend to look at the Christmas season as the time of giving,” Biddle said.

“This time of year, we find that the people start making the donations to the food bank and we get a fair amount. So, we keep our fingers crossed that it’s going to be the same (this year). But, then again, we have to consider the fact that even those people, I’m sure, are being hit pretty hard.”