BARRHEAD- Most of the increase the Barrhead Family and Community Support Service's (FCSS) food bank has seen in recent weeks is not due to the pandemic, at least not directly.
According to coordinator Cheri Jantz, the food bank is seeing an increase in uptake in recent weeks and months due to the increasing cost of groceries.
"When I look at everything, from what I can see, no one is accessing our resources because of COVID," Jantz said.
In June, the food bank received requests from 15 additional clients. Jantz said that number is significant because many of those people come from multiple people households.
She added that while the numbers the food bank sees in a particular month can vary, ranging from a low of 115 clients to a high of 175 in the last year, overall food bank use is on the rise.
To find out why the numbers are up, it should be noted that before clients can access any of the food bank's services, they must go through an intake process.
As part of the process, they are asked a set of standard questions including what precipitated them needing to access the food bank's services.
Answering the questions is entirely voluntary, Jantz said, adding that they are designed to give Food Banks Canada (which the Barrhead food bank is part of) a better picture of what is happening across the country so they can serve their affiliate food banks better.
"No one is saying they are accessing our services due to COVID. What the report seems to be indicating is that it is the increases in the cost of living, especially the cost of groceries are just becoming unmanageable," she said.
"How much of that is because of COVID? It is hard to say, but between the problems COVID caused in the supply chain, disruptions at meat processing plants, the increase in gas prices and even rent in some cases, it has caused the cost of living to go up dramatically."
Jantz said some of the reports she has read have stated that the cost of living in Alberta has gone up at least 30 per cent in recent months.
She is sure everyone has noticed "the sticker" shock coming out of the grocery store with a much larger bill than a few months ago.
Unfortunately, not everyone is in the position to absorb those increases, Jantz said, noting they have clients who are working full-time, but due to their low income, they are forced into using the food bank.
She noted that they are also seeing more seniors access the service.
"It is so sad and disheartening to see someone in their 80s use the food bank," Jantz said.
Food bank intake
The process of signing up to access the food bank is simple, Jantz said, noting there are no set requirements.
The first step in accessing the food bank for the first time is the intake or an assessment interview, which is usually done over the phone.
"We do ask some personal questions," she said, reiterating answering is voluntary. "You don't have to prove your income level, none of those things."
However, most of the questions on household makeup are more practical to determine what a client needs in a hamper. For instance, Jantz noted that they can include dog and cat food hampers thanks to a donation from a local veterinary clinic.
"Sometimes we can help out with personal care type items to help out with their budgets," she said.
Unfortunately, special dietary requests are more difficult to accommodate.
In these cases, Jantz said, what the food bank does is include a gift card to local grocery stores so they can purchase what they need.
"It isn't a large amount of money, but it is something that can be used to supplement what we can provide," she said.
Lifting of public health restrictions
Since the onset of COVID-19, the Barrhead food bank stopped taking physical food donations and has asked the public contribute financially instead, the only exception to the rule being meat and fresh produce donations. In addition, they went to an appointment hamper pickup schedule system.
Jantz said they don't plan to make any changes in their operations for July and August.
In September, barring changes in Alberta Health Services (AHS) public health restrictions, she said they plan to resume accepting food donations.
But regardless of COVID-19 status and public health restrictions, the food bank will continue with its appointment pickup system.
"The volunteers love it and it has allowed us to serve more people," Jantz said.
The food bank is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 to 4 p.m. To arrange for a pickup time or an intake interview, call 780-284-7390.
"We are just so honoured to be able to help the community because of the people of Barrhead," she said. "They have been amazing throughout this and we are eternally grateful for the generosity we have received."
