According to Statistics Canada, more than 7 million people suffered from hunger in the country in 2022. Alberta is one of the most affected provinces. This crisis primarily affects single mothers with lower incomes.

Amber Sandaker has four children and is pregnant; she is the only one who ensures that the fridge at home is full. To meet her family's needs, she goes to food banks, asks friends for help, and also attends Norwood, a resource center for low-income families located in downtown Edmonton.

It does not matter whether they are above or below the poverty line, but single mothers are among the most vulnerable groups. According to Statistics Canada, this vulnerability stems from the fact that they generally have lower educational levels, lower employment rates, and tend to live in rented units.

The rate of food insecurity among single mothers is also higher, a phenomenon also observed among Indigenous peoples and Black communities in Canada, according to official data.

Also according to the Vital Signs report, the annual cost of a balanced diet—which meets the standards of the Canadian food guide—for a family with four children increased by about $5,000 between 2013 and 2022.

Given this reality, food banks are a kind of temporary first aid against food insecurity, at least this is what Tamisan Pinkz Knight from the Edmonton Food Bank believes, who takes the opportunity to remind that this is not the role of these banks. But today, they are needed to help people live through periods of uncertainty.

Children on empty stomachs...

The Norwood Family and Children’s Resource Center, which was established to provide programs to support parents in preparing balanced meals, had to adapt to new needs.

This year, the organization distributed about 30,000 meals and snacks to its 3,000 members.

Addressing this topic, the Ministry of Seniors, Community and Social Services pointed to a proposed additional budget of $10 million for food banks and family support organizations.

Nevertheless, Fagan believes that the resources are insufficient. He said regretfully that their core funding has not increased over three years.