In our last report, we outlined how COVID has exacerbated poverty and social isolation, resulting in an unprecedented demand for our emergency food access services. Since then, the need has continued to escalate, and this has been compounded by the cost-of-living crisis. It’s both more difficult for our community members to make ends meet with reduced purchasing power and inadequate institutional supports, and more expensive for us to operate our essential services:

In this report, you can see that the cost of providing a single food bank hamper rose from $44 in 2021 to $53 in 2022, an almost 20% increase in just one year. We know that food bank visits will only continue to soar amid hugely inflated costs for essentials and a lack of affordable housing. We outline the impact our community, volunteers, staff and donors have continued to achieve against the backdrop of unprecedented health and economic emergencies.

• From November 2021-April 2022, we reached 5,740 files (a household of 1-9) in our food bank, a 40% increase in the past two years
• Since November 2021 we’ve served over 30,000 meals through our drop-in meal program at 1884 Davenport
• We distributed over 4000 seedlings to individuals and community gardens at our annual seedling giveaway

We know that our work fulfills an immediate need, and to support a sustainable, long-term recovery from these crises, poverty must be treated with the same sense of urgency as COVID. Looking ahead, we will continue to tackle entrenched, systemic inequality and advocate for meaningful change. Thank you for your role in our community.