Londoners are once again being asked to be generous as the London Food Bank launches its annual Spring Food Drive.
The campaign officially begins Friday and food bank officials are hoping residents will make donations of food and money in order to help those in need. According to London Food Bank Executive Director Jane Roy, the number of households needing assistance in January and February approached 6,000.
"We continue to be very concerned about continued growth. The rate of growth is slowing down, but we continue to be in record territory it seems almost every month or so," she said. "The reason? People coming in continue to talk about the high cost of living – rent, food prices, other expenses that have not come down – and that their income from whatever source has not kept pace with the increases. It should also be noted that the public has continued to give. Though there are record numbers of people coming in for help, the food bank has seen record giving as well."
Statistics released by the food bank show that, in 2023, 46 per cent of households coming to the food bank for help were doing so for the first time. Further, a total of 38,775 people were helped last year, representing 9.6 per cent of London's total population (according to 2017 Census figures).
"We’ve been at this 38 years and have seen many prime ministers, recessions, trends, and successes, but nothing compares to what we have seen since the pandemic ended," Roy said. "Hopes of something better coming out of it crumbled as the cost of living, homelessness, and concerns for the future are the worst we have encountered. Accommodation, groceries, and food insecurity remained at record levels even as the pandemic ended."
The Spring Food Drive runs from Friday, March 22 until Monday, April 1. Residents are asked to donate food at local grocery stores. Monetary donations can be mae at www.londonfoodbank.ca.
Among the items needed are peanut butter, rice, baby food and formula, soup, vegetables, beans, juice, tinned meat and fish, pasta and pasta sauce, boxed dinners, and dry goods such as powdered milk, cereal and crackers.
Non-food items such as diapers, toothpaste, toilet paper, and detergent are also greatly appreciated.