Salvation Army says demand for food help is on the rise in Newfoundland and Labrador

With inflation and the rising cost of food, the Salvation Army says more and more people in Newfoundland and Labrador are turning to the organization for help.

Maj. Jamie Locke, the Army's divisional secretary of public relations, said they're seeing an increase of about 30 per cent in the number of people seeking support from the more than 70 Salvation Army locations across the province.

At the Ches Penney Centre of Hope in downtown St. John's, for example, the Salvation Army sees about 700 to 800 households a month seeking help from its food bank.

"That's households — that number doesn't represent individuals," said Locke. "It's an alarming statistic."

Access to food is an issue affecting rural communities too. Locke said the Salvation Army recently discovered an unmet need in the small town of Point Leamington, in central Newfoundland.

"Salvation Army staff there have been quick to respond [and] work with community partners to pull together … a food pantry, to be able to support people in that region," he said.

Locke said the stories they hear from the food banks are as diverse and varied as the people they serve.

"We hear concerns from parents who are struggling to provide not only food for the table, but snacks and lunches to send with their kids to school," he said.

"We hear stories from senior citizens who are doing their very best to live on a fixed and tight income, who come seeking just that little bit of help to get them through a week or a month of alleviating some stress on the grocery budget that they may have."

Locke said it's concerning.

"Our staff often have to take a moment after client intake and interviews to simply breathe, recompose themselves before they go back to to engage with the next person. Because at the Salvation Army … it's more than just a bag of food that we're offering," he said.

"We try to give people a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on at times, and simply a safe space to come, receive the supports that they need, the practical assistance. And hopefully go away feeling a little bit better and a little bit … more confident about the days that lie ahead."

'Every little bit helps'

Locke said donating to CBC's Feed N.L. campaign, which supports the Community Food Sharing Association and food banks across the province, is one way to help.

"If anybody would like to donate to specifically to the Salvation Army, we welcome them to visit a Salvation Army kettle, maybe make a donation if you have some change in your pocket while you're in the mall — or making a donation through your debit and credit," he said. 

"You can tap your card at our kettles now that are going a little bit more high tech than what we used to be."

Locke said the Salvation Army is also accepting donations on its website.

"Our dedicated staff remain resilient and hopeful that … the generosity continues and that we're able to meet the need, which is very much being driven by the impact of inflation," he said.

"All households are feeling the pinch, and so we know not only the people that we serve are being impacted, but people who are donating.… We're simply asking people to give what they can. Because every little bit helps. Whether you donate actual food items to the food bank, or if you make a financial contribution, you're impacting lives and giving people hope."

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