As demand rises and prices soar, this Nova Scotia food bank is cutting back

As Nathan Mann stands in line at the food bank in New Glasgow, he politely declines an interview about why he's there.

A few minutes later, he comes back to say he's changed his mind.

"I shouldn't be the one who feels embarrassed. It should be our politicians and people who are in power and people who are allowing these insane rent prices that are causing people to not be able to afford food," said Mann.

He said he works at an IT company, part time at a pizza restaurant, and also teaches music lessons part time. 

"And I still struggle working three jobs," Mann said.

He doesn't go to the food bank every month, but said every time he does go, the crowd seems bigger than the last time.

According to Pictou County Food Bank East, the data backs up Mann's observation: food orders jumped more than 30 per cent from 5,750 in 2020 to 7,549 in 2023.

Between Jan. 1 and Oct. 11 of this year, there were 6,117 orders.

"And there's still two and a half months to go," said Lia LeClair, the food bank's operational co-ordinator. 

With the rising demand and soaring expenses, the food bank announced this month it's cutting back on certain food items, including canned meat, tomatoes, corn and juice, in its food packages.

"We're spending upwards of $24,000 a month just on food," said LeClair. "So now what we give are what we call table essentials — the essential things that people need."

Those guaranteed staples include milk, peanut butter, eggs, meat, oatmeal, cereal, soup and pasta.

Another change at the food bank is a strict once-a-month policy. 

"If you had been in the first of the month and it was coming towards the end of the month but you were really stuck, and especially if you had children, we would do a second order that month," said LeClair.