Three short months will have been enough for Quebec food banks to spend the $6 million granted by the Legault government so they could buy more food. As the holidays approach, they are now asking for $18 million because “queues are getting longer” in the coming weeks.
We used this to buy essential products […]Eggs, milk, vegetables, fruit, rice, peanut butter, lists the general director of Quebec food banks, Martin Munger, to illustrate the usefulness of the funds granted by the provincial government last July.
However, food shortages have recently occurred again in some service points, claims Munger.
What our members have been saying locally since then is that there are new faces coming in every week, there are people coming back more often to seek help, and it just keeps growing.
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Martin Munger, general manager of the Food Banks of Quebec
Photo: Screenshot / Zoom
Quebec food banks are therefore once again knocking on the Legault government’s door in the hope of receiving short-term help. With the requested $18 million, Mr. Munger believes we can hold out until the end of March 2024.
We were able to get through the holidays and the first few months of the year when donations are more difficult to receive.
A meeting is planned for next week with the Minister responsible for Social Solidarity and Community Action, Chantal Rouleau.
His office does not indicate in writing whether it intends to fully respond to the Quebec food banks’ request, but recalls that this issue is particularly close to Ms. Rouleau’s heart.
The needs remain. “Our government will continue to work to leave no one behind,” said its spokesman Jean-Philippe Labre.
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Chantal Rouleau, Minister of Social Solidarity and Community Action
Photo: Radio-Canada / Jean-Luc Blanchet
Growing need
Last winter, before Finance Minister Eric Girard presented the budget, Quebec’s food banks had requested $24 million in one-time support for food purchases due to rising demand and rising food prices.
In July, the government paid 34 million euros to the network, but the majority of the amount was earmarked for improving storage infrastructure. Only 6 million were intended for purchasing food.
So this is the difference between the $24 million requested in pre-Budget consultations and the $6 million achieved last summer that food banks are now hoping to receive.
Even when it comes to originality when concluding agreements, the network confirms that food and monetary donations are simply no longer enough to meet the needs of the population.
We really continue to develop and innovate, but we cannot handle such a surge in demand alone.
The pandemic caused an increase of around 30%. Things didn’t calm down after that. It was inflation that put pressure on demand, explains Mr. Munger.
Quebec Food Banks serves nearly 1,200 local organizations across Quebec. Every month the network responds to more than 2 million requests for food assistance.