Latest news with #foodbanks
CBC
14 hours ago
- Business
- CBC
Small town food banks struggle to keep up as demand hits new highs
Food banks in smaller communities across southwestern Ontario are doing their best to keep everyone fed, but it's becoming more of a struggle than ever as demands soars and donations dwindle. In Ingersoll, workers at the Salvation Army food bank are seeing plenty of new faces coming in for help each week, said coordinator Lovish Sharma, including people who used to bring in regular donation themselves. For many in the Oxford County town, with a population around 13,000, this year has been especially difficult. One of the town's major employers is the General Motors CAMI assembly plant and recent job losses there are playing a big role in increased use at the food bank, said Sharma. "I know a lot of people who have been laid off, and a lot of people who were laid off in the past and they have not been able to find a new job," he said. "I think that's one of the major reasons why we're seeing an increase in demand." In nearby St. Thomas, the local food bank is seeing similar trends. "We're rising every year, but this year has been really tough for a lot of families," said Karen McDade, a manager at the St. Thomas Elgin Food Bank. "Due to the cost of everything, be it food, gas, utilities, mortgage rates, or rentals, everything is just a bit overwhelming for families," McDade said. While need is rising steadily, this summer they are seeing an unprecedented increase in usage with new sign-ups nearly every day — in addition to more than 1,500 new users in the last year and a half, said manager Sarah Coleman. The Summer Top Up program, which provides breakfast, lunch and snacks to families while their children are out of school, had 56 new families sign up just in the past three weeks. Donations are in decline, so keeping the shelves stocked can be tough, but the food bank is managing to keep up with demand for now. In two weeks, they'll need to fill the next round of summer top-up packs which will require about 5,000 granola bars or other small snacks. For the first time ever, they may need to go out and purchase them, Coleman said. Many of the people who would often donate are now having to budget with rising costs, McDade said, and that's being reflected in their donation bins at local grocery stores. "We used to pick them up a few times a week, and now it's only once because they're just not overflowing like they used to," she said. Call for government action Both McDade and Coleman want to see more government response to rising costs, they said. With even basic staples like bread, milk and eggs becoming less affordable, some of the new people signing up at the food bank have jobs, a car and even own their own house, McDade said, yet still struggle to make ends meet and feed their families. On Monday, she even helped two seniors above 80-years-old sign up for their first time, she said. "When someone that's on a pension hasn't been to a food bank their whole life and they're coming here at 82 years old … it's upsetting."
Washington Post
7 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Funding cuts starve food banks
National Funding cuts starve food banks July 16, 2025 | 3:56 PM GMT Trump administration cuts to meal service programs are leaving food banks and their suppliers without critical funding. We traveled to West Virginia to see how food pantries are struggling to help those who need this funding the most.
Globe and Mail
14-07-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Michael Bradley Matvieshen Launches Personal Website to Share His Vision and Values
A New Digital Hub Highlighting Decades of Innovation, Impact, and Integrity Canadian entrepreneur and sustainability innovator Michael Bradley Matvieshen has officially launched his new personal website, offering a centralized platform for sharing his work, values, and long-term vision across clean energy, sustainable agriculture, and community-driven business. The website introduces visitors to Matvieshen's diverse career—from co-developing early electric vehicle infrastructure with General Motors to building passive solar greenhouses and donating hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of food to Okanagan food banks. It also features insights into his leadership philosophy and the personal values that have shaped his approach to business. 'This website is more than just a place to list accomplishments,' said Matvieshen. 'It's a chance to tell my story in my own words, and hopefully inspire others to build things that matter.' The launch comes as interest continues to grow around sustainable technologies and community-first entrepreneurship—two core themes in Matvieshen's work. With his ventures now spanning multiple continents and industries, the site also serves as a public point of contact for new partnerships and ongoing impact projects. 'A lot of people only see the results—the buildings, the systems, the headlines,' Matvieshen explained. 'But there's a personal journey behind all of that. I want people to understand where the ideas come from, and why I've chosen to work the way I do.' 'I'm excited to finally have a space that brings it all together,' he added. 'This is just the start.' The website launch marks a new chapter in Matvieshen's public presence, inviting others to learn from his experiences and explore future collaborations that prioritize both innovation and integrity. Visit the full website here. About Michael Bradley Matvieshen Michael Bradley Matvieshen is a Kelowna-based entrepreneur, designer, and industry leader in solar energy, sustainable farming, and international development. His career spans decades of hands-on work across multiple sectors, with a focus on practical innovation and community benefit. He is known for building businesses that reflect his core values: resilience, sustainability, and service. Contact: info@ Media Contact Contact Person: Michael Bradley Matvieshen Email: Send Email Country: Canada Website:
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
At an Ohio food bank, fears that Republican cuts will overwhelm an overstretched program
Volunteers bring food to waiting cars at the Broad Street Presbyterian Church Food Pantry in Columbus. (Photo by Marty Schladen, Ohio Capital Journal.) Ohio's food banks are strained as it is. Huge cuts to the safety net signed into law in recent days could overwhelm them, the director of a Columbus food bank said last week. President Donald Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' cut trillions in taxes — mostly for the richest Americans — added trillions to the federal debt, and it cut more than $1 trillion in spending on Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. In acknowledgement of the program's unpopularity, some of the most painful of the benefit cuts won't take effect until after the 2026 midterms. But some, such as administratively burdensome work requirements, could cost large numbers their food benefits. In addition, the state budget Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed on June 30 provides $7.5 million less for food banks compared to last year. Those cuts are on top of other recent cuts and as more families are in need because of the expiration of covid-era benefits, said Kathy Kelly-Long, director of the food pantry at the Broad Street Presbyterian Church in Columbus. 'As the pandemic credits expired, our numbers kept growing,' she said one morning last week as volunteers bustled in and out of the pantry. While the pantry served an average of 35 families a day at the height of the pandemic in June 2021, it served an average of 58 last month. That's a 66% increase. Among the cuts pantries have already suffered, one was the U.S. Department of Agriculture's cancellation of the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program on June 30. That program enabled food banks to buy directly from nearby farmers. It fell under the budget axe of an unofficial agency that Trump assigned the world's richest man to run. 'A lot of those farmers relied on those funds — built some of their business around that,' Kelly-Long said. 'A guy who was here yesterday said they lost $25,000 worth of business when (the program) went out. So there's an economic cost because that's $25,000 worth of fresh, locally grown produce that's not being distributed to low-income families who don't have access to it.' But her main concern is for the clients the pantry serves. 'We can't even begin to calculate what the loss of SNAP dollars and Medicaid will mean to people,' Kelly-Long said. 'Because the system is already broken, we can't get enough food in now. If the numbers go up, we don't know how much food people will be able to get from us. Will it be anywhere near enough to feed their families?' Among those clients are many hard-working people. 'There's a lovely woman who's been shopping here for years,' Kelly-Long said. 'She's raised multiple grandchildren. She works a full-time job on second shift. She comes here to have enough food to get by for the week.' Not only has the woman worked to carry her own weight and raised two generations of children, 'she's the one the neighbors always turn to when they need help,' Kelly-Long said. As people lose health insurance and food benefits — and as food banks are less able to serve them — they'll turn to cheaper, less nutritious sustenance, Kelly-Long said. 'It leads to heart disease, diabetes, hypertension,' she said. 'We already have diet-related disease in this country. If you have more people eating cheap food because they need the calories, but don't get the nutrients, it's going to be compounded.' She said she was frustrated by a lack of interest from U.S. Sens. Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted. Both are Ohio Republicans who voted for the deep cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. 'I've made multiple phone calls and have yet to talk to a real person,' Kelly-Long said. 'Sen. Moreno, Sen. Husted, all of the emails I've sent, I get the same email back from the two of them, which indicates that somebody on their staff may have read it, but maybe not.' She added that lawmakers in Washington, D.C. and Columbus fail when they pass bills that only benefit the few. 'To me, our legislators are not doing their job,' Kelly-Long said. 'They were elected to represent the people in their districts — all of the people in their districts. And when they make decisions that benefit just a few people and harm the majority, that's not doing their jobs.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
CBS News
04-07-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Massachusetts food banks worried about cuts to SNAP due to President Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill"
The president's budget bill was six months in the making and a major legislative win from Republicans and the White House but food banks in Massachusetts are worried about its impact on them. The president touted the bill's ability to significantly increase spending for boarder security, immigration enforcement and defense. It also extends the 2017 tax cuts from the president's first term and increases the child tax credit while ending tax on tips and overtime pay. Food banks bracing for increased demand During a speech Thursday afternoon at the Iowa State Fair, President Trump noted the bill will cut government spending by $1.5 trillion over the next decade. But local food banks said significant cuts to SNAP had them bracing for increased demand. "This whole section behind you would be filled with replenishments," said Daniel's Table Executive Director Sandra Montesino. The organization has helped the food insecure for nearly a decade in and around Framingham. Montesino said donations have dropped 16% recently, given the higher costs of food. "It's way down. Donations have been really down. These cuts are going to have a significant impact on Daniel's Table," said Montesino. Cuts to Medicaid and SNAP The concern is that the president's budget bill will make steep cuts to safety net programs like SNAP and Medicaid. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates Medicaid could be cut by $930 billion with nearly 12 million people at risk of losing health care. Erin McAleer is the CEO of Project Bread and said the number of people considered food insecure jumped during the pandemic and has remained high ever since. "This [bill] is going to have huge consequences for people in our state who are already struggling to get by," McAleer said. "Frankly, I am still a little shocked it passed by how unpopular it was and how much it is going to hurt working families. But mostly just devastated that this is where we are."
