Demand grows for food banks and hampers in Whitehorse, Watson Lake
Whitehorse food bank president says more families dealing with 'food/rent squeeze'
"Our demand is growing, we're serving a lot more families now," said Sherri Boterill, one of the directors at the Watson Lake St. Vincent de Paul soup kitchen. "There's a lot more need for hampers for families."
Boterill says her organization used to help around 15 to 20 families, but now it's closer to 30.
"Maybe because the Cantung mine is shut down, and there's not a lot of work right now," Boterill said.
In Whitehorse, food bank use has also been steadily rising in recent years. A survey in March of this year counted 640 families using the Whitehorse food bank, up 10 per cent from March 2014.
"For the last couple years, that's pretty standard," said Stu Mackey, referring to the steady rise in usage.
Making the 'rent/food thing' work
"The highest pressure, I think, on our families are people who are trying to make the rent/food thing work every month. I think that's been quite a difficult challenge for many families and people," Mackey said.
The Whitehorse food bank has seen a significant drop in corporate donations from mining companies and other major industries, Mackey said.
"These were substantial donations, and of course that area is not as robust as it used to be," he said.
The food bank is looking for ways to increase its corporate fundraising. It's also encouraging individuals to consider giving to the food bank on a monthly basis through its "Green Apple Club," which takes a set amount from a donor's bank account or charges it to a credit card.
Food bank donations typically go up at this time of year, but Mackey said the challenge is being able to meet the needs of clients year round.
"Hunger's pretty constant throughout the year," he said.