As food prices edge upward, Harvest Bucks offer a bit of help

In her role with a local organization that provides food to Londoners who struggle to afford it, Jazz Walmsley has heard plenty of wrenching stories, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. 

During one tough month, a woman told Walmsley she chose not to renew her vehicle insurance just so she could cover her food bill. 

"In her moment of thinking logistically, she was thinking, 'First, I need to eat and get a roof over my head," said Walmsley.

Walmsley is the team lead for the Good Food Project, which is operated by the Glen Cairn Community Resource Centre. 

Her organization runs a number of services that help people get food on the table. The Open Market program operates as a kind-of drop-in food bank, providing both fresh and canned food to those in need. They also sell Good Food Boxes, each packed with about $25 worth of food for a $14 cost. 

Walmsley said the need for help with food bills has grown as Londoners face high inflation, rising rents, and an economy still working to adjust from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"When it comes to food, what I'm hearing a lot now is 'I just can't afford it,'" said Walmsley. "With inflation, it's very difficult for even a two-income household to provide healthy food choices for their family."

A report coming to Thursday's meeting of the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) confirms that more people in the region are feeling the pinch of higher food prices. 

Using a standardized survey tool called the Nutritious Food Basket, the report says one in five local households face food insecurity. The health unit monitors the issue closely because access to affordable fresh food is seen as a key overall health indicator for a community.

The same MLHU report says the cost of food jumped by about 10 per cent between 2022 and 2023. 

Walmsley said part of the problem is that unhealthy processed food often appears to be the cheapest option.

"A lot of people say 'I can go to the Dollar Store and buy a bag of chips or a bag of ramen noodles' because that's more cost effective," said Walmsley. 

The Harvest Bucks program is another way Walmsley's organization is looking to help Londoners cover their food costs.

Using a subsidy from the health unit, the Community Resource Centre hands out the vouchers. They come in $5 denominations and can be used to buy fresh food at retailers that are part of the program.