Food banks in Nova Scotia see record demand in 2023

2023 was a challenging year for many Canadians and a record-breaking one for food banks in the province, according to Feed Nova Scotia’s Executive Director Nick Jennery.

“You could look at every operating metric, number of new clients, number of visits, every metric is at an all-time high.” Said Jennery

Jennery says he expects that trend to continue into 2024. Given the provincial government’s focus on improving healthcare, he thinks they should be doing everything they can to lift people out of poverty and reduce food insecurity.

“If the philanthropy, if the humanity of the issue doesn’t move you, then think of the of the business case.  It costs twice as much to provide twice as much to provide health care to someone who is in the low income bracket versus someone who is in the higher income bracket.”

Despite the desperate situation, Jennery says support is there if you need it — and he encourages people not to be afraid to ask for help.

“The whole system is built on people who just genuinely want to help others,” said Jennery

If you don’t know where to start to get help, Jennery recommends calling 211.