GTA food banks say they're facing the highest demand in their history

Food banks across the GTA are noticing a steep rise in working class families using their services and they say the record numbers they're seeing are extremely concerning.

"Pre-pandemic it was around 60,000 people per month, which on its own was incredibly difficult for the city to handle," said Neil Hetherington, CEO of the Daily Bread Food Bank. 

"It grew with the pandemic to 120,000 per month and then with inflation, it's gone to 182,000 this past month."

Hetherington notes this is the highest number of food bank visits in the organization's recorded history, and it's not getting any better.

Those running Greater Toronto food banks are citing the rising cost of food and rent as the reason, and say they're noticing that more people still can't make ends meet, even though many have full-time jobs. The City of Toronto says it continues to work to support their growing needs, but food banks say the rising costs are also impacting their own operations and that adds to to the pressure and need for immediate solutions.

"Before the pandemic Daily Bread spent $1.6 million a year on food," Hetherington explained, adding that number has now ballooned to $13 million.

Hetherington notes they've been able to keep up because staff and volunteers have risen to the occasion, but he warns a continued increase at this rate is not sustainable.

At the Mississauga Food Bank, CEO Meghan Nicholls says they went from serving around 19,000 people pre-pandemic to about 30,000 people in recent months.

"In addition to that, people are coming to the food bank more often. So we're providing 22 per cent more food each year."

She's also hearing about the rising cost of living contributing to the challenges of affording food, as more than 70 per cent of their clients are in the rental market.

Nicholls says lately, families that face a job loss, an illness or a marriage ending often are no longer able to afford groceries.

"The stories that resonate with me the most are the stories of people who didn't need a food bank, until they did," she said.

Her food bank is aiming to raise $1.5 million and collect 500,000 pounds of food through their Thanksgiving campaign.

Paul Uytenbogaart, director of Toronto's  Allan Gardens Food Bank, says 60 per cent more people are using their services now compared to 2019.