Fall Drive launches with release of new report on hunger in the GTA

TORONTO, Sept. 23 /CNW/ - Daily Bread Food Bank launched its annual Fall Drive today with a new report on hunger in the GTA showing the largest increase in food bank use in fifteen years. With food bank use at an all time high, the need to give is stronger than ever. While donors and supporters dug deep last year, donations have also flat lined, meaning Daily Bread Food Bank is trying to do more with less.      

"While the recession may have officially been declared over, we are far from recovery on the ground," says Michael Oliphant, Director of Research and Communications at Daily Bread Food Bank.  

The report, Who's Hungry: 2010 Profile of Hunger in the GTA, shows an overall increase of 15 per cent in client visits. For Daily Bread's member agencies, there were an extra 123,000 visits last year. The average person coming to a food bank spends 68 per cent of their income on rent and utilities. With an average monthly income of $1000, that leaves just over $300 for everything else: school supplies for the kids, clothes for winter, medications and food.  The research shows most people are going into debt to make up the shortfall: 59 per cent have borrowed from family or friends and 28 per cent have used credit cards recently in order to pay the bills. The issue with hunger isn't about food security, it's about income security. There is enough food for everyone, but people on low incomes do not have enough money to purchase the food that is available.  

"The Fall Drive is about helping your community by sharing as much as you can. Every donation counts. You can help fight hunger by doing something as simple as going online to donate at www.dailybread.ca, or picking up an extra bag of food when you're at the grocery store", says Gail Nyberg, Daily Bread's Executive Director.  

The report also notes a four per cent increase in single adults accessing food banks. Single adults now make up nearly half of all food bank clients.

"While children still make up about one third of food bank clients, single adults are increasingly the new face of vulnerable Torontonians," Oliphant said. "These are not single, young, healthy individuals in their prime. They are about three times as likely to have a disability or serious illness as all other food bank clients. They tend to be male, older, in the 45 plus age bracket, and are suffering from multiple barriers to employment."

Donations of nutritious, non-perishable food can be dropped off at any fire hall as well as any Loblaws, Loblaw Great Food, valu-mart, No Frills or Real Canadian Superstore from September 24 to October 18. Financial donations can be made securely, online at www.dailybread.ca or by calling 416-203-0050. Cheques can be mailed to Daily Bread Food Bank at 191 New Toronto Street, Toronto ON M8V 2E7.

Daily Bread Food Bank is a non-profit, charitable organization that is fighting to end hunger in our communities. As Canada's largest food bank, Daily Bread serves people through neighbourhood food banks and meal programs in over 170 member agencies across Toronto. We know providing food to hungry people won't solve poverty; that's why Daily Bread does more. We work to support people by providing job training; researching and educating people on issues of poverty and moving forward with innovative and realistic solutions that will help people break away from poverty.

For further information:

Sarah Anderson
Communications & Marketing Officer
T: 416-203-0050 ext. 238
E: [email protected]
M: 416-450-2196