Hamilton food banks are feeling that summertime crunch

Hamilton’s food banks are in their summertime slump, a time when their ongoing struggle to feed the hungry deepens.

The need at food banks always go up in summer, says Mission Services associate director Wendy Kennelly.

“We hope that by putting the word out, our goal is not to reach a critical situation. It means we have to be very proactive.”

A shortage can happen very quickly if larger families come in, Kennelly said.

Salvation Army spokesperson Dan Millar said its food bank is always low on supplies at this time of year.

And at Good Shepherd, program supervisor Mark Tennant says there is a continuous need.

“We’ve been holding our own ... There are lots of wonderful donors who allow us to meet the demand ... there is always a need.”

The Good Shepherd has had an increase of 400 families accessing its food bank, going from 2,109 households per month in June 2017 to 2,581 this past June, Tennant said.

But at this point, there are no empty shelves and “we’re meeting the needs.”

Charlotte Redekop-Young, emergency food manager at the Mountain’s Neighbour 2 Neighbour food bank serving 1,200 families per month, said she expects the need for more supplies to slowly inch up through the summer.

Hamilton Jewish Social Services (JSS) director Carol Kramer, in charge of one of the smaller food banks in the city, serving 50 families a month — says summer is always more difficult than the rest of the year.

But she adds there is a “critical” need the entire year. “Every year, it gets worse and worse.”

As the only kosher food bank in the Niagara Peninsula, Kramer said, JJS is in a constant struggle to ensure it has enough food.

“You have to constantly remind people about it.”

Celeste Taylor of Hamilton FoodShare, says, “All food banks struggle at this time of year.”

“It’s the time of year when kids are home from school (and without school food programs), so families need a little more.”

Taylor also blames rent increases, which she says seem steeper this year, for increased food bank use.

Hydro and other costs are also up, without corresponding increases in incomes or disability payments, she said, adding 37 per cent of food bank clients are on disability incomes.

Hamilton has 12,580 people accessing food banks every month, a third of them children under 19, Taylor said.

Although “in Hamilton, we are holding our own ... we’re supplying more food than in any other years. We’re doing some serious work. It’s just not enough.” What you can do:

Food or cash donations can be made at the food banks or participating grocery stores. For every $1 cash donation, food banks buy $5 worth of food because of their bulk buying power.

Items most needed: Spaghetti sauce, cereals, oatmeal, canned vegetables, peanut butter, and dry goods such as pasta.

Kosher: Skippy peanut butter, Mazzola cooking oil, Cheerios and Shreddies.