The study by Feed Ontario, formerly the Ontario Association of Food Banks, examined food bank use data for 2018 and showed usage rose Province-wide by three percent over the previous year.
The study shows relatively low Food Bank usage in this area. Just two percent of the 103,495 individuals who live in the electoral district of Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke used a food bank last year.
That’s something that Frank Shilling, President of St. Joseph’s Food Bank in Pembroke questions.
Shilling says St. Joseph’s keeps its own statistics, and has had to beef up its service following the closure of the Salvation Army Food Bank in Pembroke earlier in 2019.
In neighbouring Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston, 5,065 individuals visited a food bank last year, representing 5 persons out of every 100 people there.
Across Ontario, Ottawa-Vanier tops the list for Food Bank Usage, followed by Hamilton-Centre.
