Townships faces high rates of food insecurity, reveals 2023 Hunger Report
By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
The battle against hunger intensifies in the Eastern Townships, with the region witnessing an unprecedented spike in food insecurity. A new Hunger Report for 2023 indicates that organizations combating hunger in the Townships have seen their numbers rise dramatically by 67 per cent since 2019. Seven related community organization leaders held a press conference on the issue Oct. 25 at Moisson Estrie in Sherbrooke.
Of concern is the increase in children affected by this crisis. There has been a 73 per cent rise in hungry children since 2019, with a 14 per cent jump from the previous year alone.
With surging demands, community organizations, notably those like Moisson Estrie and Moisson Granby, are feeling the pressure. Economic challenges, including the rising cost of living, heightened interest rates, soaring food prices, and escalating housing costs, are pushing more people towards food assistance. There’s been a 36 per cent surge in individuals seeking help, individuals who, until very recently, were managing without such assistance.
While the data paints a grim picture, the community’s resilience is evident. Over the last five years, there’s been a 31 per cent increase in food donations, and organizations have upped their purchasing budgets by 15 per cent. Yet, the needs far outweigh the available resources.
Looking forward, community stakeholders are taking proactive steps. A significant regional conference is scheduled for Nov. 2, bringing together over a hundred partners from across the nine MRCs. They aim to strategize and develop actionable plans to combat the challenges of food supply and distribution.
Christian Bibeau, General Director of Moisson Estrie, presided over a press conference on Wednesday to discuss the issue of food insecurity. He thanked the other organization leaders who were present, and who are “on the ground” facing these challenges day-to-day, for speaking out.
Patrick St-Denis, General Manager of Moisson Granby, held the floor first. Moisson Granby has helped 8,591 people in their region with food issues so far this year. Demand has increased everywhere, he noted. Every organization is looking for more money to cover its costs. There has been a 17 per cent increase in clients that they usually do not serve: the employed. They are working with the provincial government and locally to better serve their clients.
Pierre Bélisle, Chairman of the Board of Moisson Estrie, spoke next. Moisson Estrie’s biggest current issue is “daily troubleshooting”. Forty per cent of their clientele visits their building directly to help deal with their food issues. In 2019, an average of 250 clients visited them per week, whereas today that number has increased to an average of 450 per week. In the past few weeks, they have served over 500 per week. If you do the math, he continued, they are now helping more than 1,200 Sherbrooke residents per week. They need to be creative, he insisted. He admitted that increased donations are helpful.
Marjorie Tyroler, General Manager of the Coaticook Volunteer Action Center, then conveyed her organization’s situation and concerns. Last year, they distributed more than $600,000 worth of food in their region, which makes up four per cent of the Townships’ population. In 2019, they served 15 clients per week; now, the number is between 30 and 40 per week. It is not easy for them to handle those numbers with their current infrastructure. They serve three categories of clients: 1) those who simply do not have enough money, 2) those with precarious or inconsistent employment, and 3) those who are employed but are having difficulty making ends meet due to other financial responsibilities. More food and money would be helpful, but her organization is facing a “point of no return” in terms of lack of personnel. She hopes they can find a collective solution.
Michel Morisset, Chairman of the Board of the Memphrémagog Food Bank, addressed the gathering. His organization has a grocery store and delivers food. Since April 1, they have served 37 per cent more clients than normal. Some 2,500 to 3,000 people in his region have food issues, and there are many they cannot serve properly due to its size – from Stanstead, up to Magog, and down to Mansonville. It is not reasonable to expect those from Mansonville or Stanstead to make the trip to Magog for food. Serving the many isolated villages in their region is their greatest challenge going forward.
Isabelle Falconetto, Services Coordinator of the Cowansville Volunteer Action Center, gave remarks. Her organization faces an “astronomical” 60 per cent increase in the clientele they serve. “We’ve never seen this before.” Part of the increase is due to there being more homeless in the area. They serve nearly 300 people in total. New registrations for their service are nearly daily, another first.
Vincent Boutin, General Manager of “La Grande Table”, then came forward. They distribute frozen meals for $1 a piece – a service begun during the pandemic. In 2020 they gave out zero, last year 65,000, and this year he speculates it will be up to 80,000. Another service they provide involves lunches for school children. They gave out 200 two years ago, 500 last year, and will likely hit the same number this year. They are planning to expand from the 10 schools they serve in Sherbrooke to all 40.
We are saying, together, there is something that is not working, Bibeau said, summing up the conference. “Too many people are hungry.”