HungerCount data is collected in March by individual, independent food banks and reported to Food Banks Canada annually. The reported numbers from this one month become the foundation for the presentation of the numbers throughout the year.
HungerCount (National Numbers from March 2009) |
Calgary Food Bank |
National numbers in March, food bank usage increased by 18%. |
In March 2009, 80% more people came to the Calgary Food Bank for emergency food. |
In Alberta, 53,976 people were assisted. |
21.4% of the people assisted were in Calgary |
In Alberta, 20,396 additional people accessed a food bank. |
25% of this increase occurred in Calgary. |
Alberta numbers in March, food bank usage increased by 61%. |
Since September 2008, 40% more people (35,000) have come to the Calgary Food Bank for emergency food hampers, |
New clients, nationally, increased by 9.1%. |
In March 2009, 16.6% of the people coming to the Calgary Food Bank were first time clients.
This is double the number of people coming to the food bank for the first time in March than last year. |
37% of food bank users are children |
41% of food bank users are children
- 50,862 children (13,047 more than last year)
|
Nationally, 13% of people indicate a wage as their primary source of income.
In Alberta, 27% of people reported a wage as their source of income. |
38% of clients report a wage as their primary source of income.
- This is down from 43% last year who reported having a wage.
- One of the outcomes of the recession for many people has been reduction of hours at their jobs.
- People come to Calgary for employment. That people accessing the Calgary Food Bank are still working during a recession is a strong indicator of the strong work ethic within the city.
|
Nationally, 51% of food bank users receive social assistance. |
22% of food bank users receive social assistance
- People coming to the Calgary Food Bank are the working poor.
- Calgarians are willing to access the food bank, but only after they have truly tried everything they can on their own.
- The resilience of Food Bank clients is shown through the fact that 85% of individuals asked for three of fewer Emergency Food Hampers last year.
|
36% of food banks were forced to give out less food than usual. |
The Calgary Food Bank’s standard is to provide a week’s worth of quality emergency food. This standard was maintained during this past year.
Canada’s Food Guide is the nutritional benchmark for the quality food distributed to those in need. |
23% of food banks fail to recruit enough volunteers to manage daily operations. |
During this past year the number of hours volunteered was up by 23% (17,436 hours) to sort, package and distribute food. |
