As we approach November, holiday cheer is beginning to appear! Soon you may spot Christmas trees around, watch reruns of your favorite Hallmark movies, and enjoy that special time of year with your loved ones. Despite the merriness, one aspect of the holidays that is often overlooked is the heightened financial pressures that many families face. Due to the rising cost of living, numerous Canadians are beginning to seek out help from food banks to feed their families.
In a CTV article, the executive director for Feed Nova Scotia, a charity out of Halifax, stated, “We do know that the need tends to deepen around the holiday season here in Nova Scotia. From November to January, you see that greater need.” Another issue that impacts food banks during the month of December are the closures. Like many other workplaces during the Holidays, food banks take a well-deserved break to celebrate with their families and friends. Often organizations shut down for a few weeks around the holidays, making them inaccessible to those in need.
According to Food Banks Canada, there were 29,848 visits to food banks in New Brunswick and 10,322 of those visits were children. There was a whopping 24.7 percent increase in food bank visits from 2022 to 2023. Similar data can be found according to Nova Scotia food banks, with 23,498 total visits and 10,039 visits of those visits being children. Another shocking statistic is that 1 in 5 Nova Scotians live in food-insecure households, according to Feed Nova Scotia. There is a smaller jump in visits between 2022 and 2023, with an 8.8 percent increase. Around the holiday season, more people rely heavily on food banks and more now than ever, many families are struggling to make ends meet.
Several organizations are trying to fundraise in advance to prepare for this difficult period. Many organizations within the University are collecting non-perishable food items for The Pantry, such as the MASU with Haunted Hart Hall. As another option, Feed Nova Scotia is taking an alternative approach. They plan on canceling their traditional Christmas programming and donating the money in a way they think is more equitable.
An additional aspect of the food insecurity issue is what should be done to address this issue moving forward. The increasing cost of living is forcing many families to go hungry, and Food Banks Canada recommends an array of different policy amendments. Some of their main recommendations include rebuilding a broken social safety net, addressing affordable housing, increasing support for workers with low incomes, and improving northern and remote food insecurity and poverty.
This holiday season, many people in our community may be struggling. Giving back and donating to food banks embodies what the holidays are really about — caring and connecting with our communities. If readers of The Argosy would like to spread the holiday cheer and give back to their communities, you can find their local donation spot at Food Banks Canada.
