November was the busiest month ever for a St. John's food bank. Here's what you can do
CBC N.L. is partnering with the Community Food Sharing Association to Make the Season Kind
Community groups in Newfoundland and Labrador say donations are down and demand is up at food banks this holiday season, but there are ways that you can help.
Lesley Burgess, executive director of Bridges to Hope, said November was the busiest month on record at the organization's food bank, serving over 1,700 people — including 600 children.
"That seems to be something that we're saying more often than not these days," Burgess told CBC Radio's The Signal Tuesday.
"We really do rely on the holiday giving season, honestly, to keep us going."
CBC Newfoundland and Labrador is partnering with the Community Food Sharing Association, which supports 60 food banks across the province, to raise money as part of the annual Make the Season Kind campaign. CBC shows will be live across the province on Friday with special guests and food bank representatives on site to raise money.
"We're very excited once again to partner with CBC for the Make the Season Kind campaign. It is a major fundraiser for the Community Food Sharing Association, and it's what helps us get through the Christmas season," Tina Bishop, manager of the Community Food Sharing Association, said.
Bishop said food donations are also down at the association, and the cost of keeping shelves stocked across the province is going up.
The cost of food purchases has risen 67 per cent from last year, Bishop told CBC News in November, and the cost of transporting that food has risen by 51 per cent. The association expects to help over 8,500 families this holiday season, about 500 more than last year.
"A lot of people, you know, are struggling," she said. "Those that were able to at one time drop into the office with those couple boxes of cereal or five or ten dollars, they're not able to do that anymore."
Donations are open now, and you can also make donations directly through the Community Food Sharing Association on their website.
Those donations can go a long way in bringing joy this holiday season, said Josh Smee of Food First N.L.
"Food isn't just about calories, it's about everything that wraps around it. It's about, like, the experience of sharing food with others," he said.
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With files from The Signal