A week after Food Banks Canada gave Manitoba a D- rating in its provincial poverty report, the number of people visiting Winnipeg's food banks continues to rise. Mitchell Lingos reports.
A week after Food Banks Canada gave Manitoba a “D-” grade in its provincial poverty report, Winnipeg's food banks continue to stay busy and record numbers of people are showing up at Agape Table.
Agape Table, a local non-profit organization founded to feed Winnipeg's most vulnerable, has been providing about 200-250 bagged lunches per day to those in need for years, but that number has skyrocketed.
“Yesterday we served 924 people in four hours. We serve Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and the numbers are growing every day,” Agape Table general manager Dave Feniuk said.
Fenniuk has noticed a demographic change, with more working-class people struggling to make ends meet, and believes the number will soon exceed 1,000.
The Food Bank of Canada's latest report, released last week, gave Manitoba a “D-” rating and showed one in four Manitobans are struggling to put food on the table.
“Rent is going up, utilities are going up, food is going up. Now people are coming to our house and saying, 'I can pay my rent and utilities, but I don't have enough money for food. Can you help me?'” Feniuk said.
Despite the surge in demand, Feniuk said volunteers have really stepped up, including Allen Rogowski, who has been volunteering with Agape for 44 years since the organization was founded. Rogowski said he couldn't imagine volunteering anywhere else and said he needs the continued support from the community.
“Every donation to Agape Table is thanks to people. It's what keeps us going. It's thanks to donations. Without donors, Agape wouldn't be around to this day,” Rogowski said.
Anyone interested in helping can contact Agape Table to volunteer or donate food and clothing.
