Canada Post strike could significantly cut donations, food banks in Mississauga fear

Published November 20, 2024 at 4:35 pm

Food Banks Mississauga hurt by Canada Post strike.

The record number of people in Mississauga who need help putting food on the table could be among those hurt the most by the ongoing strike of Canada Post workers, food bank officials in Canada’s seventh-largest city say.

With no mail delivery for six days now since the postal workers went on strike last Friday, and no sign of the job action ending soon, the many donations to Food Banks Mississauga’s annual Holiday Drive that would normally come through the mail are not being received by the charitable organization.

Daisy Yiu, a spokesperson for Food Banks Mississauga, which heads up a network of more than 60 community agencies to make it Mississauga’s largest food bank network, told INsauga.com numbers from last December show 33 per cent of donations received by the organization that month came from “offline sources,” which includes direct mail.

“This equals about $887,000,” she said in an email, noting the organization’s Holiday Drive is its largest fundraising event of the year. “With the food insecurity emergency growing in our city and the need for food support higher than ever, the potential risk of losing 33 per cent of our donations in just one month is a real cause for concern.

“We definitely are at risk of missing out on the many generous donors who choose to mail in their gifts at this time of year.”

FBM is looking to raise an “unprecedented” $2.5 million through its 2024 Holiday Drive, which began earlier this month and continues until Jan. 10. Last year’s holiday campaign raised $2,418,493, surpassing its $2 million goal by 21 per cent.

Food insecurity emergency declared in Mississauga

Last Wednesday, the food bank and City of Mississauga held a joint press conference to again raise the alarm and declare a “food insecurity emergency” in the city.

Beyond Mississauga, there are fears the mail strike could negatively impact many charities from coast to coast.

“As the Canada Post strike enters its first week, charities across the country are bracing for significant challenges during the crucial holiday season,” a spokesperson for CanadaHelps, which provides online donation and fundraising services, said in an email. “Direct mail campaigns are a lifeline for Canadian charities, driving critical donations to support vulnerable communities.”

Food Banks Mississauga officials said recently the organization experienced another record-breaking year as it served more than 56,000 food bank visitors, including almost 16,000 children, from June 2023 to May 2024. That was up 58 per cent from the previous year, officials noted, adding they also recorded some 420,000 visits to food banks this past year, up by nearly 80 per cent.

“We are experiencing a tidal wave of demand with no sign of slowing down,” Food Banks Mississauga CEO Meghan Nicholls said in a news release earlier this month. “One in 37 Mississauga residents relied on a food bank in 2019 and now it’s one in 13. As we head into the colder months, your neighbours in need are falling further behind and need your support. It’s a sobering thought to think about those who can’t spend the holidays around a meal with their families — but one that we can change together.”

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

(Cover photo: Food Banks Mississauga)

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