Surrey Food Bank panicked as school year comes to a close

With classes being dismissed for the year later this month, there are widespread concerns that a lot of kids will go hungry in B.C. this summer.

For many kids, they have access to breakfast foods and snacks while school is in session, but those options disappear over the break.

Surrey Food Bank executive director Kim Savage admits it’s not just her, her staff, and volunteers who are feeling anxious, it’s also the families who use their service every week.

“There’s definitely a little bit of panic. We actually need a little extra support in the summer because it’s a little bit of a double whammy. Kids are out of school, and as people go on their holidays, food banks aren’t top of mind, and the needs facing our neighbours aren’t top of mind, and the need doesn’t go away,” Savage told 1130 NewsRadio.

She adds that the organization is working with local farmers and grocers to gain access to fresh produce.

“Kids have such a specific set of nutritional needs. They need more proteins, they need lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, and all of those sorts of things. And while they love their mac and cheese and pasta, they also need a much fuller, nutritionally diverse set of food items,” Savage explained.

“Generally, when people think about donating food to the food bank, they think of all the shelf-stable non-perishables, which is great, and we need all that stuff as well … but we need to procure all those fresh items that kids really need.”

Food Banks Canada says one in four people is food insecure, while one in three Canadian households has a hard time meeting their financial needs. While 18 per cent of food bank users are employed, often full-time, they still can’t afford groceries.

Savage isn’t sure what the solution is to address the crisis.

“Certainly, when we’re talking about children and even when we’re talking about adults, basically it all comes down to the cost of living. The cost of living in the Lower Mainland or even across B.C. has far outpaced what the average median wages are, and that gap just keeps getting wider, life keeps getting more unaffordable, and one of the first places people cut is how they manage their food budgets, so it’s really tough.”

Another challenge facing the food bank is securing items that can feed a diverse community.

“[We need] some of the more culturally appropriate foods, like beans, lentils, different rice, different produce for our Sikh, Hindu, or Muslim families that have come from such a different diet. We always struggle to get those in place, especially some of the halal products. That’s always a big need as well.”

Unlike some food banks in the province, Savage is clear that they accept both food and monetary donations.