Demand for food banks has never been stronger as the start of the school year fast approaches, a phenomenon observed by Quebec’s food banks and also reflected in Estrie.
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“With the start of the school year, we enter our heyday. In addition to school supplies and books, parents have to pay more for their groceries, so the demand for groceries will continue to grow,” confirmed MRC de Coaticook volunteer center coordinator Sabrina Réhaume.
These increases, which worry many, could put additional strain on the shoulders of many families in a context where the cost of living is becoming ever higher.
However, the middle class is beginning to become part of this growing clientele. “It’s not just the unemployed or those on welfare. We have families where both parents work, but with two or three children, a mortgage and a problem, it is enough to resort to food aid,” explained Rock Guertin Foundation Communications Director Stéphanie Blanchard. .
This high demand creates problems for organizations. Many need to offer less variety or simply reduce the size of the grocery baskets offered to families in need.
Almost 40% of Tafel beneficiaries in Quebec are households with children.