One in Five Canadians Skip Meals to Help Make Ends Meet

Hunger hits closer to home than many of us realize. Over the next several days, as we gather with family around tables for a traditional holiday feast, we need to remember those who struggle to put food on the table.

According to a recent Angus Reid Public Opinion survey commissioned by Food Banks Canada, last year more than a quarter of Canadians worried about whether they could afford to buy food for themselves and/or their families.

The survey highlighted challenges Canadians deal with every day. For example, 36 percent of Canadians bought less expensive food for themselves or their families due to financial struggles and one in five parents said they skipped meals to ensure there was enough food for their children to eat.

Local food banks, such as The Salvation Army, address hunger all year round. Each month, close to 900,000 Canadians are assisted by food banks, and 38 percent of those helped are children and youth.

There are many reasons people find themselves at food banks.  Some Salvation Army centres note the largest increase in food bank users are people working minimum wage jobs and both high school and college students.

Donating food, funds or your time at a local food bank can give back self-esteem to people who are broken. They aren’t taking advantage of a system, they are just hungry.