IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Today marks the 40th anniversary of Barrie Food Bank, founded on July 25, 1984. This milestone is a solemn reminder of the persistent need for food security in our community.
In 1984, responding to the increasing number of people seeking help from Barrie’s churches, a coalition established an emergency food centre run by volunteers and named it the Community Food Foundation of Barrie. This surging demand revealed the need for centralized coordination in fundraising, food collection, and distribution. What started as an emergency response to a temporary situation has sadly become a constant in the lives of too many.
Executive Director, Sharon Palmer said, “We are not celebrating this anniversary—there is nothing celebratory about the ongoing necessity of our services.”
Barrie Food Bank’s existence over four decades is a stark indicator of the growing need in the community. Since pre-pandemic levels, the number of individuals supported through the monthly shopping program increased by 300%. The weight of donated food grew from 55,000 lbs in 1984 to over 2.1 million pounds in 2023. In the beginning, the Barrie Food Bank relied solely on food donations from the community. Now with increased financial donations, the Barrie Food Bank purchases fresh products to augment donated goods. Last year, $1.8 million was spent locally due to the rising food costs and a dramatic increase in number of individuals needing assistance.
As of this summer, Barrie Food Bank is supporting over 6,000 individuals each month. Thirty-seven percent of those supported are children.
Forty years ago, unemployment was a major driver of Food Bank usage. Today, the growth is coming from large families, newcomers to Canada, and those who rely on social assistance programs such as Ontario Disability Support Payments (ODSP), Ontario Works (OW), and Old Age Security (OAS). Lack of affordable housing and inflation are significant drivers of growth in food bank usage.
The type of food offered by Barrie Food Bank has also changed significantly in 40 years. Those seeking help today can access more fresh, nutritious foods including dairy, meat, and produce whereas canned goods were the main offering in years gone by.
“Forty years later, Barrie Food Bank does not solve the causes of hunger, we merely address the symptoms of poverty. Nearly every community in the country has a food bank in 2024. This is not a point of pride, but a call to action to our political representatives. Reducing the need for food banks requires systemic solutions. Solutions such as living wages, adequate income for those relying on social assistance programs like ODSP and OW and OAS. Access to programs supporting mental health, addiction treatment, and affordable housing are essential to addressing food insecurity in our community,” says Palmer.
