Usage up 37% over past year for Inner City Home of Sudbury food bank

Repercussions from the COVID-19 pandemic are driving a 37 percent increase in the use of the food bank at Inner City Home of Sudbury, over the past year.

The non-profit agency distributes food and provides support programs to people in need.

Province-wide food bank usage is up 30 to 40 per cent.

Inner City Home of Sudbury currently helps 1,400 households, says its executive director, Jennifer Grooms. But that number was around 750 prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

Many of those clients are new to the food bank.

"There's a difficult piece for them to access food banks, especially as a first time user, so we try to make the process as easy and comfortable as possible with our amazing volunteers," Grooms said.

"But the need has increased significantly, and it's large families, it's not just single folks trying to get by anymore. It's large, two-income families that just aren't able to make it," she added.

Making food stretch

According to Grooms, before the pandemic, the agency would provide 7,000 lbs of food a week, but now that number has grown to 11,000 lbs. 

"It's a great deal of food we're having to provide to the community," she said.

Inner City Home of Sudbury is a member agency with the Sudbury Food Bank, which provides much of the food. They also get donations through Feed Ontario.

Prior to the pandemic, the Inner City Homes Food Bank provided clients with enough food to get through three to five days but there's now demand to get through an entire week. 

"We try to give them enough to stretch out as long as [possible]," Grooms said.

"Some of them are waiting for cheques or waiting for answers. You know there's too much month at the end of the money, so it's basically to get them through until they're able to secure some funds."

Grooms believes it's because people drew on their savings early on during the pandemic, and now have nothing left, so they need to turn to food banks for help, many for the first-time.

Fundraising event to 'Stay Away'

In order to continue helping clients with food provisions and some basic program support, Inner City Home of Sudbury needs $200,000 for its yearly operating costs.

The agency is not government-funded, so it relies on donations from the community. Unfortunately due to COVID-19 and public health restrictions, fundraising has been challenging.

Recently, its board of directors came up with an event to raise money, but also keep people safe.

The Stay Away Soirée is planned for May 17 and will be broadcast live on the Inner City Home of Sudbury Facebook page.

"It's not necessary for your wife to have her hair done, to buy a new dress, for you to wear a tux and buy tickets at the event for drink tickets or for prizes," said Joe Drago, president of the Inner City Homes board of directors.

"We're asking you to 'stay away' but help us by giving us something," he said.

The goal is to raise $60,000 with proceeds going back to help provide food for clients of the food bank.

"This is a need that is certainly very worthwhile to support and I'm asking our community and our businesses to help feed those in need," Drago said.