United Way BC has launched an urgent appeal to support its food hubs, citing high demand in the Southern Interior due to low wages, job loss, and rising grocery prices.
In a news release on March 25, the group says food expenses could increase by $800 more than last year in Canada. United Way’s Food Appeal hopes to establish a new Kelowna hub and support local food security initiatives, such as the Cranbrook and Kimberley Regional Community Food Hub, to meet that demand.
“We have established incredible programs that are helping with food recovery, […] hampers and meal distribution. We’ve partnered with local schools,” said Alžběta Sabová, director of food security at United Way. “What we’re hearing is that the number of families, and especially lonely seniors or seniors that might not have enough resources, it’s rising.”
United Way is estimated to invest around $100,000 a year into its food programs in the Cranbrook-Kimberley area, and Sabová says that number has been going up every year.
“I do want to emphasize that every donation, even a small one, really counts. An amount like $50,000 can support someone with a week of groceries or $100 can support a whole family,” she added.
The hubs provided roughly 61,492 meals and 41,240 food hampers across the Southern Interior last year. Details and donations are available on United Way’s website.
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