It was a busy year for the Pictou East Food Bank.
Barb O’Hearn, chair for the Pictou East Food Bank, said individual donations were down last year while corporate donations increased over prior years. She said they were able to serve 7,549 households or roughly 17,688 individuals in 2023. Over Christmas, partnering with the Christmas Fund, they helped provide 1,069 individuals and families with gift cards.
In this 2020 photo, Central Nova MP Sean Fraser is given a tour of Pictou County Food Bank East
In terms of clients visiting the food bank, O”Hearn said they helped about 10 per cent more people than the previous year, noting they also saw a change in their demographics.
While some people are pointing to the increase in food prices as the major driver for the increased use of food banks, O’Hearn said it is a combination of a lot of prices, including fuel, going up.
Speaking on Wednesday, the first day open for the food bank after holidays, O’Hearn said they are expecting to see the busiest January, in terms of visitations and need, since the food bank opened.