P.E.I. groups increasing service to help Islanders with holiday costs

As community organizations work to keep up with the increasing demand some people are topping up their services this year to help Islanders deal with rising costs over the holidays. 

'We're into full elf mode filling hampers and picking up all the donations that go into those hampers," Corina Bolo, the treasurer of the West Prince Caring Cupboard and chair of the holiday hamper program told Island Morning host Mitch Cormier. 

"It's a little crazy."

The group runs several distribution points to help feed Islanders west of Summerside. Its holiday hamper committee looks after the holiday meals in particular.

According to Bolo, registration is up about 16 per cent. Last year, the committee put 339 hampers together but this year it's closer to 400. 

"What's interesting is that our number of actual people that those hampers represent is probably going to be close to 25 to 30 per cent up," she said. 

"Which tells us that it's families and larger groups."

'Not out of the woods'

But the rising costs are not just impacting those who use services like the Caring Cupboard. It also created the "perfect storm" for the organization itself which relies on donations to pay for food. 

"We were really holding our breath and we're not out of the woods yet," she said. 

"The cupboard has had the most stressing, I guess, fall that they've had ...  it's nobody's nobody's fault. It's just what's happening out there in the world." 

The provincial government is also trying to ease the burden for Islanders fighting to make ends meet by handing out thousands of grocery gift cards.

"Christmas is a particularly challenging time of year for many people for many different reasons," said Shelley Cole, the director of social programs. 

"We wanted to do a little bit of something extra to help to ease some of those challenges for folks."

7,000 people to benefit from cards

The department of social development started giving the grocery cards out last week to eligible recipients of both social assistance and the assured income program.  

"Our staff are acutely aware of some of the challenges that their clients are facing," said Cole.

"They're hearing from those clients on a daily and weekly basis and this is a small measure that we can take to help." 

She said about 7,000 people will benefit from the initiative. Single individuals will receive a $50 card, couples will get $100 and families with children will be given $150. In total, more than $300,000 worth of gift cards will be handed out.

Back at the Caring Cupboard, Bolo said donations are slightly behind this year but is keeping her fingers crossed they can fill that gap in time. 

"People registering for hampers are coming in on a weekly basis who have never had to do that before and it's really hard for them," she said. 

"Every hockey team in West Prince has had 50/50 draws ... food draws, every parade has people picking up, every school has had amazing food drives ... People can't do enough to try to help out."