Local food bank says nearly half of those who use its services are single-person households

KITCHENER – The Food Bank of Waterloo Region says over 34,000 people required its emergency food services this year, with nearly half of those people being single-person households.

The food bank says some local factors are rising costs of living, a changing labour market and unstable social policies and support.

Nationally, single-person households have increased their visits to food banks, whereas single-parent households have declined.

The food bank says with a possible recession looming, they're concerned about what's to come.

"We need to start looking at longer term solutions and supports to be able to ensure that people are not food insecure and never have to come to our doors in the first place," says Wendi Campbell, the food bank's CEO.

Over one million Canadians have accessed a food bank in 2019, the same number as last year according to the annual Food Banks Canada report.

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  The Food Bank of Waterloo Region says about half of people who use its services are from single-person households. (Dan Lauckner / CTV Kitchener)