Food banks banding together to deal with COVID-19 impacts

Fourteen months into the COVID-19 pandemic, Niagara’s major food banks and social service agencies are rallying together to raise concerns about the unprecedented need for assistance throughout Niagara Region.

Part of coping with that need, say agency officials, is governments working with service providers to act upon sustainable interventions and solutions to reduce increasing conditions of poverty across all municipalities.

These Niagara social sector and food security leaders are calling upon all government leaders to work with them to ease the burden of providing day-to-day basic life supports and to find longer range transformative and impactful solutions to relieving the growing poverty burden.

The group of sector leaders are convening briefings with all levels of government to ensure that local officials are fully aware of the situation.

“CCWN exists to provide essential services and support to families and individuals in Lincoln facing economic hardship. Over the past 14 months we have realized a 23 per cent increase in residents seeking assistance with food security, housing assistance and support navigating the various programs and services that might ease their considerable burden,” said Carole Fuhrer, executive director of Community Care West Niagara (CCWN).

“In working with Lincoln residents as they strive to restore balance and self-sufficiency, we have observed that almost 25 per cent have openly shared they never thought they would need to seek our services. The effects of the pandemic are measurable – and our sector is keenly aware that conditions will continue to deteriorate and we will be serving even more people in the months to come.”

Members of the public who are looking to help these organizations are encouraged to do so if they can. All locations are taking non-perishable food and monetary donations at this time, as they continue to meet the needs of thousands in their communities.