The smell of freshly baked apple pies. The taste of perfectly seasoned Thanksgiving turkey. Pouring gravy over mashed potatoes. For many, Thanksgiving is a time to gather your friends and family to enjoy a delicious feast, all while thinking of what you are grateful for. However, many families cannot afford to have a Thanksgiving feast. Some may not even have enough food for normal meals. This is because of food insecurity, an issue that has gotten even worse during the pandemic.
What Is Food Insecurity?
Food insecurity is when a person or family suffers from a lack of enough or a variety of food. This is often caused by financial constraints, like only having one source of income. Those who are food insecure often have only a small amount of money to spend on essential items. They may have to compromise on the quantity or quality of their food in order to afford other things such as their rent. Household food insecurity leads to a lowered diet quality, which can lead to many health problems.
Imagine if you and your family didn’t have enough food to properly feed all of you. That would cause a lot of stress and worry. You may not have lunch to bring to school or get to celebrate holidays like Thanksgiving. It definitely isn’t fun.
Food Insecurity During The Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted countries all over the world and they are all feeling the strain. From lost jobs to the closing of schools, lives everywhere have been turned upside down.
Throughout all that, an increasing amount of people are struggling to put food on the table for themselves and their families. This is a result of the economic drop our world has taken since the pandemic began. Money became more sparse and food producers started increasing the price of their goods. Those who lost jobs during the pandemic or were sick had the highest chances of becoming food insecure. What’s more, is that households with children reported more food insecurities than ever before.
Many of those who struggle to get enough food turn to food banks in times of need. However, due to the pandemic, fewer people are donating to organizations, since they have their own struggles as well.
How Can YOU Help
Talk About It! Many people are not aware that food insecurity occurs in their own community. By talking to your friends and family about this common problem, you are doing your part in helping to make people aware.
Did you know?: Every 1 in 7 people experience food insecurity in Canada.
Volunteer! If you are able, volunteering your time at a local food bank, soup kitchen, or shelter. These organizations would not be able to run without the volunteers who spend countless hours doing things like collecting donations, sorting through them, giving aid to those in need, organizing shelves, reaching out to large companies, and so much more.
Donate! You can donate either funds or food to your local food bank or homeless shelter. There are most likely safety restrictions set into place at most food banks because of the current pandemic. However, most are still collecting food donations via contactless drop-offs. Donating money is also an easy way to help make a difference.
Did you know?: Money is more useful to food banks because they have the flexibility to use it however they want, and buy items that they don’t have enough of. They can also use the money to buy fresh food like fruits, vegetables, and dairy. Food banks also often get food at discounted prices directly from sellers. The dollar that you would spend at the grocery store to buy a can of beans could buy a whole meal if used by a food bank. But every little bit counts and donating food is a lovely way to contribute as well!
Food Banks, How They Work, and How They Help
A food bank is a non-profit organization that collects and distributes foods to struggling individuals and families. Food banks operate by collecting funds and food from individuals and businesses alike in order to distribute to charities and struggling households. Food banks are a key way to combat food insecurity by providing people with healthy, safe food for them to eat during troubling times. During the COVID-19 pandemic, food bank use has sky-rocketed and many people would not have made it through the pandemic without the support of their local food bank.
How Would A Food Bank Work For Me?
When you arrive at a food bank, they may ask you to fill out a form about the number of people in your family and how much money you earn. This is done so they can better help you. They will not share this information with anyone outside their organization.
Using your information, the food bank will provide you with enough food for your family. The amount of food they give you depends on the organization, but all food banks agree to never let someone leave hungry.
What Kinds of Food Can I Donate to a Foodbank?
Food banks often look for non-perishable food items. That means things that don’t go bad—or at least have a long way to go before they expire.
Some of the best items to donate include the following:
Bulk grains like dry pasta, rice, and oats (tip: try and look for whole-grain options)
Canned meats and tuna
Plant-based proteins like canned beans, lentils, and nut butters
Baby supplies less baby food and diapers
Canned fruits and vegetables (tip: try and find those with no added salt)
Pantry staples like dry cereal, canned soup, and pasta sauce (tip: look for whole-grain cereal and soup with no added salt)
Snacks like granola bars, trail mix, and crackers
Cooking staples like oil, salt, and pepper
Instant meals like Kraft dinner and instant mashed potatoes
Things not to donate: Don’t donate things that need to be refrigerated because they could go bad before someone gets them. Food banks used donated funds to buy these items instead. Also, make sure to avoid anything expired or in damaged packaging.
Find a food bank near you
Are you or a loved one suffering from food insecurity? You’re not alone and there are plenty of ways to get help! One way to get help is to turn to your local food bank. Find one near you by using one of the searching tools below.
Find a food bank near you (Canada)
Find a food bank near you (Ontario)
Donations
If you are able, please consider donating funds or food to one (or more!) of the following organizations.
Written by: Nevadha
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