Busiest-ever holiday season sees shelves ‘depleted’ at food bank in Mississauga: officials

More Mississauga residents used food banks in December than during any previous holiday season in the city, say food bank officials who are worried about keeping up with the ever-growing demand as a new year begins.

“The holiday rush may be over, but I’m worrying about the months to come. Our shelves have been depleted by the busiest holiday season on record. And more people than ever before are relying on us,” Meghan Nicholls, CEO of Food Banks Mississauga, said in an email to food bank supporters.

Food Banks Mississauga heads up a network of more than 60 community agencies across Canada’s seventh-largest city.

Earlier in December, in again sounding the alarm, the charitable organization said the number of Mississauga residents who rely on food banks is expected to climb to 100,000 in the next two or so years, nearly double the 56,000 people the city’s largest food bank network currently serves.

FBM officials provided the estimate in the midst of their latest fundraising drive to help the tens of thousands of people they serve put food on the table.

Food Banks Mississauga CEO Meghan Nicholls, shown here delivering a recent update to city councillors on the fast-growing need for food bank services in Mississauga, says the agency experienced its busiest-ever holiday season this December.

Faced with what they describe as an ongoing food insecurity “crisis” in Mississauga, food bank officials set an ambitious goal for their 2024 Holiday Drive, which continues until Jan. 10.

The organization seeks to raise an “unprecedented” $2.5 million via its latest fundraising push. As of Dec. 18, it had collected more than $2.15 million — 86 per cent of its goal — since the annual campaign was launched Nov. 12.

FBM’s 2024 Holiday Drive, sponsored by Nissan Canada Foundation, comes yet again, officials say, at a crucial time as the agency saw the fastest-growing food bank usage in all of Ontario last year. The organization continues to see a rapid increase on that front.

Last year’s holiday campaign raised $2,418,493, surpassing its $2 million goal by 21 per cent.

Nicholls said as grateful as they are for the public’s continued support, food bank officials are concerned as they head into a new year with grim forecasts of food bank usage looming. While similar trends are found in other Ontario and Canadian communities, the situation in Mississauga is among the most troubling, if not the worst, according to officials.

“Food insecurity in our community isn’t going anywhere. If anything, we are steeling ourselves for even more pressure on our agency network,” said Nicholls.

“This past year has been tough, so tough that our city recently declared food insecurity an emergency. And while the year is ending, the need in our community continues to grow.”

For information on how to donate or other ways to help, visit www.foodbanksmississauga.ca/holiday. 

(Cover photo: Food Banks Mississauga)