Moose Jaw & District Food Bank in 'crisis' as donations no longer keep up with demand

A Saskatchewan organization providing food to those who need it most says it's now in desperate need of help.

The Moose Jaw and District Food Bank says demand for its services has surged in the last two years, climbing to 800 households per month from 400. 

"Despite the dramatic increase, donations have not kept pace and the gap between our resources and our community's needs has never been wider," said Jason Moore, the organization's executive director..

The food bank has approximately two to three weeks worth of stock and "desperately" needs food donations, Moore said.

Although they are working with Food Banks Canada in order to get more food in the short term, more is needed. 

This week the food bank published a letter on social media, warning the public of the organization's "crisis."

In Moose Jaw, children make up 40 per cent of the food bank's clients, according to the letter. 

The letter emphasized that the food bank has never received government funding and is instead dependent on grants and donations.

"In order to keep up and to sustain us for the next three months, at least until our next big food drive, we need to raise about $150,000," said Moore.  

During a press conference Thursday, Moore said the food bank will be changing what it does and how it does them in order to keep operating.

"We were providing clients with two hampers every month and we're reducing that to one unless something changes in the next couple of weeks," he said. 

More changes coming

A further transition to a "shopping model" is anticipated to start in October. 

That means people using the food bank will no longer receive a pre-made hamper. Instead, they'll be able to make appointment where they can "shop" or choose what they need. 

Moore says the change in model will save approximately 30 pounds of food waste per person every year while also giving people dignity. 

Moore says he is confident the community will step up to lend a hand. 

"Moose Jaw has always been a champion of their food bank," said Moore. "The kindness of Moose Javians has carried us through 40 years of supporting each other, and we are now at a critical juncture to keep our organization sustainable and to continue providing essential services to those in need." 

NDP MLA Meara Conway attended the press conference Thursday, saying she wanted to amplify the food bank's call for assistance. 

Conway also asked the provincial government to lend a hand.

"We're very much here to call on the provincial government to take immediate action to address the cost of living crisis, to stop punching down on the most vulnerable and step up for the people of Saskatchewan and particularly here for the people of Moose Jaw," Conway said.

Conway said the Moose Jaw & District Food Bank is not unique, as other food banks across the province have experienced similar growth in demand.

In a statement, Saskatchewan's Ministry of Social Services said it values the work food banks do for people in their communities. 

"The ministry continues to have conversations with Food Banks of Saskatchewan about the needs they are seeing across the province, and we look forward to having more to say on this front in the coming days," the statement said.