(Montreal) Moisson Montréal is once again launching its campaign aimed at distributing some 100,000 snacks to more than 3,600 children this summer, a time of year when food insecurity does not take a break and is accentuated even among young people with the end of classes.
Over the next two weeks, the organization will provide young people aged 6 to 17 at about twenty day camps with three daily snacks: juice, fruit and a cookie or granola bar.
In the hope of extending this assistance, Moisson Montreal invites the public to make a donation as part of the campaign entitled “The Hunger for Vacations” by July 31st. The goal is to raise $60,000.
“If the campaign is successful, we will be able to give out more snacks over a longer period. We hope to be able to give some for a third week, ”says the general manager of Moisson Montreal, Chantal Vézina.
With a single donation of $1, it will be possible to provide two nutritious snacks for a child in need, points out the food bank, which will purchase the food itself.
Why provide snacks rather than lunch or dinner? Mme Vézina explains that distribution is easier and that Moisson Montreal does not rely on meal preparation facilities. What’s more, many day camps do not offer lunch service.
“Additional Stress”
The Hunger for Holidays campaign has been going on for a few years. Moisson Montréal and its partner organizations that distribute food to the camps observe that many families are more severely affected by food insecurity due to the current economic context.
“With inflation, the cost of living which is constantly increasing, we are experiencing the hints of the pandemic. Many people are still unstable or precarious. We felt this year that there was a certain insistence from our organizations to do something more. They really wanted us to focus on the children in the day camps,” said Ms.me Vezina in interview.
This precarious situation worsens during the summer period when food aid from the school network stops. Thus, many households turn more to organizations to find the necessary help, points out Moisson Montreal.
“Parents feel a certain pressure. Of course, every parent wants to feed their children well. But the budgets are tighter, there is additional stress during the summer for the poorest people,” says Ms.me Vezina.
More broadly, a reflection of society would be required, according to her, to prevent children who depend on food aid from their school from being left behind during the summer season.
“Several people will have to sit down at the same table and ask ourselves why children receive food aid 10 months a year and not 12 months,” says Ms.me Vezina.
The population can take part in the fundraising campaign by going to the lafaimdesvacances.com website. Moisson Montréal also invites businesses to get involved, in particular by donating food.