Feds double pandemic aid for Canadian food banks

The federal government doubled the amount of pandemic aid for Canada’s food banks on Friday.

Another $100 million is being added to the Emergency Food Security Fund so food banks, related agencies and Indigenous organizations can keep helping struggling Canadians put food on the table during the COVID19 pandemic.

“They do remarkable work supporting vulnerable Canadians every day and that includes this Thanksgiving weekend,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday in Ottawa.

The money follows another $100 million that started that fund in April.

Lori Nikkel, CEO of Second Harvest in Toronto, said that money was hugely helpful but has long since been exhausted.

“The need continues to be incredible,” said Nikkel.

The first phase of the program funded 1,800 projects, providing an estimated six million meals to two million Canadians. Half went to Food Banks Canada to be distributed among its network of more than 600 food banks and 3,000 food agencies, such as breakfast programs and community service agencies.

Most of the rest was shared between Community Food Centres Canada, Breakfast Club of Canada, the Salvation Army and Second Harvest, which connects surplus food from farmers, retailers, restaurants and food processors, with food banks and community agencies.

The financial turmoil the pandemic caused for families left one in seven Canadian homes without enough food to eat in May. In homes with children, one in five were considered food insecure in May.