Rising need forces service changes at Moose Jaw Food Bank

The Moose Jaw & District Food Bank is making changes to its services as demand continues to rise at an unprecedented pace.

The organization said visits have increased by more than 150 per cent over the past four years, with more than 1,000 visits now recorded each month. About a third of those accessing the food bank’s services are children, while more than 50 new households are signing up every month.

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Demand reaching new levels

Jason Moore, the food bank’s executive director, said the increase is being driven by a growing number of people who have never needed help before.

The food bank said the combination of the high cost of living and income and wage supports not keeping pace with rising costs has resulted in more individuals and families needing to access their services.

Moore added that the food bank is seeing more working people, seniors and newcomers turning to its service, and for many, this is not a temporary situation but an ongoing gap between their income and the true cost of living.

The food bank reported that monetary donations have dropped by approximately 20 per cent since last year, while food donations have remained largely unchanged.

Service changes coming April 1

In response to the growing demand and dwindling donations, the food bank is planning to reduce how frequently clients can access support.

“As of April 1, we are going to reduce the number of visits… from two visits per household to one a month,” Moore said. “We just don’t have the resources to continue services the way we have been in the past.”

The food bank will also be adjusting food quantities to ensure sustainability, and plans to introduce verification steps, such as confirming addresses and household sizes.

The organization said the changes “are not about limiting support, but about ensuring that we can continue to serve as many people as possible in a sustainable way.”

Impact on households

Moore says the change will be difficult for many families which are already struggling to make ends meet. He said the average food bank client currently visits twice a month.

“Now, this means that they will only be able to access services once a month,” he said.

He added that the change will likely force people to stretch their already tight budgets even further.

“That’s the challenge for them,” Moore said.

“And it’s heartbreaking for us.”

Costs rising, resources lagging

Moore said the situation reflects broader economic pressures, with the cost of living continuing to rise.

“It’s not good math,” Moore said. “Everything’s getting more expensive… and donations are decreasing and funding is decreasing.”

He also pointed to a lack of continued support from the provincial government, despite the rising demand.

“The government just announced this year that they were not going to be funding food banks, and that, to me, is backwards thinking. When we’re in a time where the need rises, it would make more sense that support should be rising,” said Moore.

Moore said the provincial government committed $2 million over the course of two years to Food Banks of Saskatchewan in 2024, but he noted that the recently released provincial budget didn’t include funding for Food Banks.

“In a time where (funding) should have probably been increased, it was completely removed,” he said.

Discover Moose Jaw reached out to the Ministry of Social Services for comment late on Tuesday, but didn’t hear back before publication.

Call for action

Moore said he’s calling on the community and governments to respond to what he described as a growing crisis.

“We’re asking for action,” he said. “We need to see supports that actually reflect the cost of living today.”

He said food banks were never meant to carry such a high level of demand alone.

“We need to see systemic action, real systemic actions,” Moore said.

Despite the challenges, the organization says it remains committed to supporting the community while working to find long-term solutions.

“Our community has been incredibly generous over the years, and I know that our community will continue to be,” said Moore. “We’re just looking for support from our community in any way they can, and also for users of our food bank to be understanding. We’re here to do what we can.”