The demand for food banks has never even been so strong as the start of the school year is fast approaching, a phenomenon observed by the Food Banks of Quebec which is also echoed in Estrie.
• Read also: Back to school: almost everything costs more
• Read also: Back to school: it hurts the cash register
• Read also: Operation Backpack 2022: 2,000 fewer children will be helped, as demand explodes
“With the start of the school year, we are entering our big period. In addition to school supplies and books, parents will have to pay more for their groceries, so the demand for food will increase further,” acknowledged the coordinator of the Volunteer Center of the MRC de Coaticook, Sabrina Réhaume.
These increases, which are worrying according to many, in a context where the cost of living is increasingly high, could add a weight on the shoulders of many families.
However, the middle class is beginning to be part of this growing clientele. “It’s not just people on unemployment or welfare. We have families where both parents work, but with two or three children, a mortgage and a problem, it’s enough to have recourse to food aid, “explained the director of communications of the Rock Guertin Foundation, Stéphanie Blanchard. .
This high demand creates problems for organizations. Many need to offer a smaller variety or simply reduce the size of grocery baskets offered to families in need.
Nearly 40% of food bank beneficiaries in Quebec are households with children.