The cost of living is driving more people through the food bank’s doors, noted East Ferris mayor Pauline Rochefort, who recently visited the Callander and District Food Bank to see how it was doing. She put together a report for the East Ferris Council, as the municipality offers the food bank financial support and encourages donations to the organization throughout the year.
Maureen Carriere, along with Rosemary Dupuis and Debra Hickey, founded the food bank in 2010, and the three remain very involved with the operations of the facility located at 78 Lansdowne St. in downtown Callander.
See related: Residents’ hunger for Callander’s food bank
Back in August 2022, the food bank was going through some lean times. Use was up, and donations weren’t keeping up with demand. Use is still up but in recent months there has been an increase in donations, and donations from East Ferris residents around Christmas were at their “highest level ever,” Mayor Rochefort informed council. Currently, there are sufficient food stocks to “meet all immediate needs,” within the community, however, donations are always needed and appreciated.
See: Lean times at Callander’s food bank
During the height of the pandemic, the clients coming from East Ferris to the food bank were mostly seniors living alone, Ontario Works recipients, and young adults. Now, the food bank is noticing more young families are coming through the door. Rising inflation and rising rent are “driving more young families to the food bank,” Mayor Rochefort noted.
With use increasing, the food bank has expanded its service “to ensure that no one goes hungry,” and it also plans to create a Facebook page to increase communication with the public. Plans are underway to reach out to the Town of Callander — which also supports the food bank — to help install internet service at the building.
“If further support is required,” Mayor Rochefort said, “they will not hesitate to contact the Municipality of East Ferris.”
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
