HungerCount 2009

In response to Food Banks Canada HungerCount 2009 – National report on hunger and food bank use.  

On November 16th & 17th members of the Food Assistance Network in Waterloo Region participated in the Waterloo Region Food Summit.  As a community we are working on goals and priorities for improving food access and food security.  We are committed to longer term solutions thus reducing the number of people in need of food assistance and addressing the root causes of food insecurity.

The immediate priority of the food assistance network continues to be the provision of emergency food – a basic needs strategy to alleviate hunger and assist in achieving food security.  Today we join with our partners across Canada for the release of the annual HungerCount report and are sharing with the community the realities and impact of hunger right here in Waterloo Region.

Food Bank use is rising across the country – and is rising right here in Waterloo Region.

In the month of March 2009, in Waterloo Region:

• 12 820 people accessed an emergency food service
• 8% increase over 2008

Since March 2009:

Emergency food usage has continued to rise.  The impact on resources (human, food and financial) has been significant:

• 246,586 additional pounds of non-perishable food distributed – a 16% increase
• Food distribution so far this year 1,843,188 lbs of food compared to 1,596,602 in 2008
• 15% increase in the number of food hampers distributed
• 17% increase in the number of households accessing service (many for this first time)

Agencies and programs throughout Waterloo Region are seeing people for the first time – those who never thought they would ever have to access this type of service. 

This has been the largest increase our community programs have seen in their existence and the largest spike in usage since the recession in 1993.

Feedback from a number of agencies throughout the network indicates that challenges in the local job market are having a significant impact on the individuals and families who are accessing services (unemployment, challenges with access to training, challenges with access & eligibility for benefits, skills mismatch)

• For the first time in 3 years there are fewer  people who are considered “working poor” but a 37.5% increase in those accessing unemployment insurance
• There has been a 17% increase in access by individuals who are receiving social assistance
• Those reporting no income have doubled – programs have reported that challenges in accessing unemployment benefits are a significant cause of this.
• Increase in number of seniors - As reported in the recent Vital Signs report a larger percentage of our communities senior citizens are living in poverty.

Adequate incomes continue to be largest barrier to food security.  Although we have seen increases to minimum wage in recent years, the pension and social assistance supports are still not enough for individuals and families to provide for all of their basic needs.

Food Security

As these local and national statistics are being shared the Waterloo Region Food Summit continues with a focus on the issue of food security and the realization that 10% of our community worries about not having enough to eat.

What can we do? 

• To reduce dependence on emergency food assistance?
• To ensure that all people have adequate incomes?
• To make our community food secure?

The work of the summit will be wrapped up today with a declaration committing its signatories to working to address the problems that are causing our community to become food insecure. 

Participating members of the Food Assistance Network have signed this declaration and are committed to supporting  the work of people and organizations in Waterloo Region who focus on the priorities that were identified at the Summit including:

• Work with our provincial partners to advocate for increases to Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program benefits through a systematic, transparent process.
• Work with local partners to advocate for a living wage for all employees and educate employers.
• Increase the availability, awareness and access of culturally appropriate food by strengthening networks between food agencies and multicultural populations.
• Continue improving emergency food assistance to ensure that there is a basic needs provision as a short term solution while continuing to work on other long term solutions that will improve the overall food security of our community.

HungerCount 2008

The Perpetual Problem of Hunger in Waterloo Region -- “It shouldn’t be this hard”

A snapshot of hunger in Waterloo Region

HungerCount is an annual survey coordinated by Food Banks Canada that provides a snapshot of food bank use in Canada.  The following data represents the snapshot for Waterloo Region.  Data is collected from programs providing emergency food services (food hampers, community meals, shelter & residential programs) throughout Waterloo Region and represents program usage from  January – December 2007.

PDF version of this summary available to print or download..

On November 26, 2008 members of the Food Assistance Network in Waterloo Region travelled from Cambridge to Waterloo to Wilmot Township to release HungerCount 2008, illustrating the complexity of this perpetual problem in our community.  Hunger in Waterloo Region is not defined by urban or rural residence, employment or unemployment, or personal attributes.   It is a problem that has the potential to touch all of our lives and the lives of our neighbours.  More information is available:

Transcript of the Presentation available in pdf format.

Media Release -- Numbers Consistent – Hunger a Perpetual Problem in Waterloo Region. 

25in5: Network for Poverty Reduction

Hunger Count 2007

Statistics derived from our local Annual Hunger Count show that approximately 5% of Waterloo Region residents needed food assistance in 2006 – a very similar situation to 2005. 

The overall number of people accessing food in 2006 was essentially unchanged from 2005 (24,605 in 2006 and 24,415 in 2005). There were 61,364 emergency food hampers provided in 2006 compared to 62,349 in 2005.  385,638 meals were served in 2006 compared to 398,147 meals served in 2005.

• 25% of food hampers went to people who were earning income.

• 31% of food hampers were shared with individuals on Ontario Works. 

• 14% of food hampers were provided to disabled persons.  This figure continued its upward trend with a 17% increase over 2005. 

• 3% of food hampers went to people receiving Old Age Pension.

• 8% of food hampers were provided to people who had no source of income. 

The Food Bank of Waterloo Region believes that finding workable solutions will take the collective effort of government and agencies and the community. The newly announced poverty reduction initiatives of both the federal and provincial governments are an important first step and are greatly needed. In the interim, The Food Bank continues to “fill the gap.”

Media Release -- April 4, 2007

Hunger Count 2006

The Food Bank of Waterloo Region through its 66 member agencies and community food programs in Waterloo Region distributed 5% more emergency food hampers in 2005 and provided the same number of meals in 2005 as in 2004.  The number of food hampers provided to disabled persons increased by 21% in 2005 after having almost tripled in the period from 2002 to 2004. 

These statistics are derived from The Food Bank’s Annual Hunger Count – a community snapshot of emergency food distribution over a 12 month period.

Through the Hunger Count, The Food Bank of Waterloo Region has also identified several groups of recipients that remain at the same level as in the previous year.

• individuals earning income (part-time employment, full-time employment, employment insurance) represent 29% of emergency food hamper usage. In 2004, this was a 3% increase over 2003 and a 6% increase over 2002.
• individuals on Ontario Works represent 32% of food hamper recipients.  In 2004, this was a 3% decline from 2003 and a 5% reduction from 2002.
• individuals receiving Old Age Pensions represent 3% of food hamper recipients, twice the number as in 2002.  In 2004, the number of food hampers provided to people on Disability Pensions virtually tripled in the prior 24 months.
• children under the age of 18 represent 47% of all food hamper recipients which is an increase of 2% from 2002. This percentage has remained constant since 2002. 
  

Further information can be found at:

Food Bank of Waterloo Region Hunger Count Comparison 2000-2004

Ontario Association of Food Banks Hunger Count 2005

Canadian Association of Food Banks Hunger Count 2005