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Hunger Facts

The Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) engages in research to raise the profile of hunger in Ontario. In addition to the information below, please see the just released OAFB Hunger Report 2009.

KEY FACTS November 2009

It has been very a difficult year for food banks and families in Ontario. The economic storm that was gathering a year ago touched down with brutal force in 2009.

Despite the statements made my economists about a technical end to the recession and signs of growth, the situation on the front line is very different. Ontario’s food banks have struggleed as unemployment figures and food prices continue to rise, demand for services continues to soar, and donations continue to decline. The end of this long and winding road is not yet in sight.

In March 2009, Ontario’s food banks served 374,000 Ontarians—2.9 per cent of Ontario’s population—in hundreds of Ontario’s villages, towns, large urban and smaller suburban centres.

• This represents an increase of 19 per cent over 2008 HungerCount figures.

• Almost 40 per cent of those served by Ontario’s food banks are children – equal to over 140,000 children every month. More and more households are unable to make it through the month without accessing our services.  

In addition, nearly 740,000 meals were served in March by meal programmes supported by Ontario’s food banks.

As a result of this tremendous increase in demand, many of Ontario’s food banks have reported that they do not have enough food to meet the needs of their clients.

• 37.9 per cent of food banks reported that they did not have enough food to meet the needs of their clients in 2009; and

• one in three reported that their ability to meet clients’ needs had declined this year. These figures are particularly worrying, as they are the highest proportions of reported challenges with food supply since data collection began in 2005. As a result, food banks have had to purchase more food than ever before.

• Seventy three (73) per cent of food banks are spending more money on food in 2009 compared to 2008, and average monthly expenditures on food by Ontario’s food banks have increased by 84.2 per cent. On average, Ontario’s food banks spend $2,669.99 per month or $32,039.88 per year on food purchases. Unfortunately, this has stretched their financial capacity beyond its limit.

• A majority (54 per cent) of food banks will be over budgetary projections on food purchases in 2009.

According to the Ontario Association of Food Banks, almost 120,000 (119,435) people are forced to turn to food banks every month in the GTA.*  

• The number of people turning to food banks in the GTA has increased by over 20 per cent in the past year.*

• 40 per cent of persons turning to food banks in the GTA are children.

• One third of the people turning to food banks in the GTA are recent immigrants.

• Over 200,000 full-time jobs have been lost in Ontario this year—more jobs than any other province—leaving a record number of households no other option than to turn to their local food bank for support.

* Source: HungerCount 2009.  For reference, in March 2009, 99,002 Torontonians, 5,338 citizens of York region, 9,698 citizens of Peel region, and 5,397 citizens of Durham were forced to turn to food banks every month.  In 2008, 98,883 citizens in the GTA turned to food banks.  Representatives will utilize their own food bank’s statistics when speaking to media regarding the campaign.

HUNGER LIVES NEXT DOOR

Hunger affects hundreds of thousands, and reaches into our own communities, our own neighbourhoods, and our own homes. Hunger lives right next door to all of us, in communities across Ontario. THE

TIME TO GIVE IS NOW: YOUR GIFT WILL HAVE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT

The time to give is now. There has never been a more important time to give as food banks witness the greatest increase in usage since they were first founded in the early eighties. Your gift will have a tremendous impact for those families forced to turn to food banks this holiday season. Financial donations are just as important as food donations. It means that food banks can purchase fresh food, and make up for any shortfalls in donations to ensure people are getting the food that they need. Financial donations also allow us to get food to those in need and provide advocacy support and educate the public about poverty and hunger across the province. Donate Online