THUNDER BAY — Food bank usage in the Thunder Bay area is growing so quickly that it's reflecting what Volker Kromm describes as "an epidemic of need."
Kromm, the executive director of the Northwestern Ontario Food Distribution Association, said Monday the trend is "very alarming" and that it has left food banks and feeding programs "somewhat desperate."
The situation in Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario is even more severe than other parts of the province.
In a new report, Feed Ontario said the number of people using food banks has increased 15 per cent since 2019, and the number of visits has gone up by 42 per cent in the same period.
But Kromm said that in the last year alone, Thunder Bay-area food banks have recorded an upsurge in usage of 18 to 25 per cent.
At some individual locations, the number of visits has tripled.
As well, daily on-site feeding programs offered by various organizations in the city have compiled increases in traffic of as much as 62 per cent.
"These are individuals that come every day. They get meals provided. And sometimes they get a little bit extra if it's available. They're getting a lot of seniors coming, and a lot of individuals for the first time who can't make ends meet. It's surprising. They are the working poor," Kromm said.
Approximately 9,000 people in the region currently rely on food banks every month, including 5,000 in Thunder Bay.
Kromm said he's glad that Feed Ontario published its report Monday because it's good timing leading up to the holiday giving period.
The Regional Food Distribution Association continues to seek donations from the public, but it's also striving to find food donations from right across the country.
"There is food that is available as surplus in greenhouses or in storage buildings, but it's a matter of getting it here," Kromm said.
Community food banks supported by the RFDA include ones in remote locations where there are few local resources, a situation that compounds the pressure.
"The strain on our available food and donations locally here in Thunder Bay, regionally is almost unmanageable," Kromm said. "If you take a look at the entire Northwestern Ontario regional profile, there was a large segment of our region that didn't have the supports that we enjoy here in Thunder Bay."
To help circumvent the dilemma in remote communities, RFDA has had some success reaching out to companies in the mining and forestry sectors, and to other businesses, for donations.
"We're very grateful for those developing partnerships," Kromm said.
But he feels the trend in both the city and region points to the need for more collaboration involving municipal and upper levels of government.
Kromm said the COVID-19 pandemic exposed additional gaps in service including for seniors living at home and requiring assistance getting healthy food.
RFDA began delivering meals to these clients when the pandemic started.
"We realized there is a large population that is shut in, can't get out, don't have access to vehicles. We had never intended to continue this past the pandemic, but there's no way to turn that off now... We're finding there's lots of little pockets in our community and region that have never been accounted for before," Kromm said.
He thinks it's time for "a serious conversation" among Thunder Bay's new city council, senior governments and corporate partners.
"Because, quite frankly, expecting charitable organizations such as the RFDA or any of our food banks to shoulder the burden ourselves is just not realistic. We need to be at the table together."
Kromm plans to make a deputation to city council in the coming weeks.
