Food banks stressed with downturn in economy

November 27, 2015.

In the past year the Oski Pasikoniwew Kamik food bank, on the Big Stone Cree Nation, has more than tripled the number of hampers it distributes on a weekly basis.

“In our community, many, nany people are employed in the oilfield and with the cutbacks, our community members are not working anymore,” said Christine Gullion, food bank coordinator.

From handing out 10 to 12 hampers per week numbers have jumped to 35 to 38 per week.

While the oilfield is not employing the numbers they used to, their support – and that by other larger companies – is making a difference for the food bank.

“The oil companies are very generous,” said Gullion, who also serves as principal for OPK school, from where the food hampers are distributed.

OPK, the only school on the Big Stone Cree reserve, does not get the same amount of funding as the neighbouring Northland School Division schools in Wabasca-Desmarais, says Gullion, so has depended on local oil and gas companies to fund the “extras” like smartboards.

“We’re not getting any money from the oilfield now, but the oilfield is still giving to the food bank. That’s what they said to us, ‘We can’t help you out, but we can help the food bank out,’” said Gullion.

The upsurge OPK food bank is experiencing is being felt across Alberta. The HungerCount 2015, a report released last week by Food Banks Canada, shows that Alberta has seen an astounding increase in food bank usage of 23 per cent in the past year. Nationally, food bank usage has increased 1.3 per cent since 2014 and 26 per cent higher since 2008, when the economic downturn started.

“Sadly, we weren’t surprised,” said Stephanie Rigby, executive director with Alberta Food Banks. “Last fall (2014)… we had already started to hear from some of our members, specifically Edmonton and Calgary, the two largest, that when the layoffs happened they were having an immediate impact on their numbers. That progressed into the new year.”

In March and April, says Rigby, food banks right across the province were having the same experience. In the summer, when food banks are typically lean for donations, the Alberta Food Banks made an impassioned plea for food and monetary donations. And the public responded.

What is most disturbing, says Rigby, is HungerCount 2015 compares food bank usage in March 2015 to March 2014.

“We don’t know how much worse it is now, we just know it is worse,” said Rigby. The Alberta Food Banks will be collecting new data from members and non-members in December. “The landscape is evolving so quickly we don’t think that by waiting until next March it will serve us well.”

In response to the increased demand, many food banks are decreasing the size of hampers while still providing those in need with some food.

Gullion says OPK food bank is giving less in their hampers in order to meet the growing need. At one point, they used to purchase eggs and fresh meat, but now fresh meat has been replaced by canned meat.

But nobody gets turned away.

“I tell people if we can help you out a little bit with the groceries, maybe that will allow you to buy winter coats for your children,” said Gullion, who notes that people are grateful for the hand up and are not taking advantage of the generosity.

While OPK food bank doesn’t provide Christmas hampers – that duty falls to the local Santa’s Anonymous – Gullion expects those numbers will reflect the same increase OPK food bank has seen this past year.

Belinda Simeon, acting manager for the Iyahrhe Nakoda Food Bank Society, says the need on the Stoney Nakoda Nation is steady and the food bank, which is set up in Morley, with a depot in Eden Valley, is continuing to help about 42 per cent of the Nation’s membership.

“We struggle with employment. The majority of our clients collect income support or social assistance,” said Simeon.

Iyahrhe Nakoda Food Bank has not had to cut down on the size of hampers. Simeon says donations through Food Banks Canada’s food share program, topped up by generous support from churches and schools in the surrounding communities, have allowed the Nation’s food bank to meet its needs.

“We have a lot of people donating in food-wise. It’s been really good now. They see the need. I can’t say thank you enough,” she said.

But growing community support does not address the fact that Albertans are not making enough money to put food on the table along with meeting all their other necessities, says Rigby.

 “How do we tackle this problem? There is root causes that are affecting people,” she said.

Unemployment, layoffs, loss of jobs, relocation due to loss of jobs, finding new job that don’t pay as well, increase costs but no matching salary are all causing people to seek help from food banks and other services.

“I think we’re very fortunate in Alberta with this new government that has been elected, it has already shown in some of the steps it has taken since their election that those with low incomes, who are more vulnerable in our society, are top of mind,” said Rigby. “There’s no silver bullet answer here, but are there other programs we can add into food banks that can help hit the root cause? We’ll be looking to partner with the provincial government or others.”

On Big Stone Cree Nation, Gullion says at least one local company is reassessing the situation. It used to do both logging and oilfield work but switched primarily to oilfield because it was more profitable. She has heard they will be returning to logging, which will provide new jobs.