Mission faces food shortage this Christmas
TORONTO, ON—Scott Mission is preparing for a 20 per cent increase in its annual Christmas meal this year despite facing a one-million dollar budget short-fall.
"It's been a tough year," says executive director David Smith, "On the one hand, our financial situation is not as strong as it was, and on the other hand client demands are up, especially for food. So it's a double whammy."
Volunteers will be preparing a record-breaking 450 Christmas dinners—100 meals more than last year. But Smith says the increased holiday turn-out is just "the tip of the iceberg."
While Scott Mission is also giving away 3,000 toys and No Frills gift-cards this Christmas, the registration list is almost full, forcing families onto a waiting list.
"We are maxed out of food, toys and clothing," Smith says, "Meals we always seem to be able to stretch. But once we run out of clothing, we run out of clothing. Once we run out of cans in the food bank, we have no more."
Smith says food bank demand is up 35 per cent from this time last year with a stark increase in "working poor" who are struggling to adjust to a substantial income drop.
"If they are forced to rely on government support there is barely enough money for rent," Smith says. "So these people are really coming to coming to the food bank out of desperation.
"We try to sit down with people, understand their situation and form a personal plan which will lead them out of dependence into independence as soon as possible."
Smith says that while appeals have increased the number of individual donations, it was not enough to compensate for a major decline in both new bequests and investment income.
"It's just that calamitous economic environment that everybody is now rushing to adjust to," Smith says, "It affects Scott Mission. It affects everyone.
"People need to understand that they have the ability to change things within their means. They can go into their closet and get out all that stuff they are not using and take it to a local charity. When they go to the grocery store they can get an extra five to 10 cans to put in that collection bin by the door.
"We believe in a God who will provide. We know that when push comes to shove, and somebody is in real trouble, we will find an answer.
"Maybe we wanted to give them a turkey and we will end up giving them a few cans of beans. So be it. Beans can be pure gold when you are hungry."
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