Photo credit: CTV News, Toronto
Daily Bread Food Bank and North York Harvest Food Bank report more than one in ten Torontonians rely on food banks.
Daily Bread Food Bank reports this as a 36% increase in unique clients year-over-year.
Both food banks have released the annual Who’s Hungry report, which profiles poverty and food insecurity in Toronto. This year, the report paints a grim picture of a city trapped in poverty, with skyrocketing rent and food prices and an unsustainable cost of living.
In the last year, there were 3.49 million client visits to Toronto food banks—nearly a million more visits than the year prior and a 273% increase since the pandemic. Additionally, close to 155,000 new individuals started using food bank services for the first time.
CEO of Daily Bread Food Bank, Neil Hetherington, said, “It is unfathomable that the number of client visits to food banks is now higher than the City of Toronto’s entire population. Our government cannot continue to stand by as our neighbours are pushed further into poverty due to astronomical housing costs and food prices, years of inflation, stagnating wages and insufficient income supports. We need and demand action now.”
Nearly 1 in 3 food bank clients went a whole day without eating and half missed a meal to pay for something else.
Surveyed food bank clients were clear on what they need to stop the cycle of food bank use. Stronger policies around affordable housing, decent wages, newcomer supports, and higher social assistance rates would help ensure that every Torontonian can live a life of dignity and realize their right to food.
Food banks are also under extreme stress. It took 38 years to exceed 1 million food bank visits, two years to surpass 2 million and just one year to reach 3 million.
Who’s Hungry 2024 is a call to action from real individuals trapped in poverty.
Executive Director, North York Harvest Food Bank, Ryan Noble said “Food banks cannot and will not solve this problem, and we will not stand by quietly while we are asked to do impossible things. The supports that we provide everyday to thousands of people across our communities are critical, but do not mistake them for solutions. Without policy action things will only get worse.”
Both food banks have appealed to the three levels of government to take actions that would improve things.
