Food banks are there to help

People tend to think that those who visit food banks are using them for life, that they are abusing the system and that by providing such a safety net, we are not helping them getting out of poverty.

The reality is quite different. Food banks are where people come because something happened to them at one point in their life. Most of the time, it is a temporary situation and they need our help to get back on their feet. When refugee families arrive in Montreal, they need time to adapt, learn the language and find a job. In the meantime, by coming to a food bank such as Welcome Hall Mission, they don’t just get food to help them make ends meet, they meet people who can help them and orient them toward a better life.

Maybe what we need is more government support for food banks. This way our people on the ground, real people who can establish the level of distress disadvantaged families are in, can be in a better position to provide more than just food. Learning how to better manage a budget or getting the necessary skills to get a job are tangible tools in the fight against poverty and to stop the cycle of poverty.

The reality is that every month, about 350 families no longer require the food bank, but they are replaced by the same number of new families knocking on our door requesting help for the first time. As a society, we need to be there for them — not as a cheque in the mail, but as a helping hand and a listening ear at a time when they really truly need it. Cyril Morgan, CEO and executive director of Welcome Hall Mission, Montreal