Charities in Airdrie are feeling the pinch due to rising gasoline and food prices.
“We’ve been hit by a double whammy with funding cuts as well as increased needs and increased costs,” said Lori McRitchie, executive director of the Airdrie Food Bank.
“We’ve been watching the price slowly rise as time is going by.”
Although non-perishable food items are donated to the organization, volunteers purchase fresh food such milk, cheese, eggs, vegetables and margarine for the hampers.
At the end of last year, a hamper that would feed a family of four for a week cost the food bank about $340. In 2010, the organization provided 1,082 hampers at a cost of $278,000.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization reported last month that world food prices reached a record high in January.
Brenda Hume, executive director of Community Links, said the organization has seen a marked increase in individuals using gas vouchers since January.
“We seeing an increase in the one-time gas vouchers and we are hearing people say, ‘Well I guess that won’t fill up the tank very much anymore,’” said Hume.
She said more residents in Beiseker are asking to have their food hampers delivered because they can’t afford the gas to drive in and pick them up.
“We are also seeing an increase in people needing food vouchers,” said Hume.
“There are lots of struggles for folks because of these increasing prices.”
According to Statistics Canada’s consumer price index, overall food prices rose nearly two per cent between January 2010 and January 2011 and are expected to continue to climb.
“We are having some trepidation about the future,” said McRitchie. “We have seen a substantial increase in first-time users in the past six weeks. Because of the increased need, increased cost and lower funding, we are worried about the future.”
She attributed the rise in need to the increasing prices and families with low incomes having trouble making ends meet.
“It is not just in one area, it seems like everything is going up and every bill is a little bit more,” said McRitchie.
“I think donations will be affected as more and more people are hurting in the community.”
She said the organization would probably have to put off plans to expand its building to include warehouse, storage space, office space and a loading dock.
However, McRitchie said she has faith in Airdronians and their ability to give.
“Airdrie is so supportive of people in need,” she said.
“They will sacrifice and throw a few cans in the grocery store bin because it is the right thing to do. We rely on the good will of the community in order to meet the needs. It’s not the food bank, it’s the community that takes care of each other.”
