As the sun shines in from the courtyard, filling the lobby with warm light, dozens of people sit quietly and wait patiently for their number to be called, giving them access to one of life’s basic necessities — food.
That was the scene at Bradford’s Helping Hand Food Bank at the town’s social services and community hub on Friday evening, July 19, where clients from about 30 different households came for help living with food insecurity, not a surprising number for volunteers.
Carolyn Khan, executive director, recently estimated they are currently serving about 400 families in Bradford, which range from singles and couples to families of six or more, and demand continues to grow as an average of 42 new families register each month.
That’s part of a larger trend with data from the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit and Statistics Canada showing the number of households experiencing food insecurity in both the region and the province increased to about one in four in 2023.
Here in Bradford that impacts people from different walks of life, from newcomers to retirees, workers trying to get by on minimum wage and even those without a home.
While some were understandably reluctant to share their experiences with Village Media, others requested pseudonyms to protect their privacy.
Many were newcomers still trying to get settled, like Andre and Olga Sokolov, who said the food bank has been “very helpful” over the last three months while renting a basement apartment and looking for work.
A family member translated for Raihana Ghaibi, who said her family has been having trouble getting established.
“We are new here, about five months here in Canada and it was so helpful for us,” she said, adding the supplies they get from the food bank last the household of seven for about two weeks.
Alex (not her real name) said she and two relatives were originally from Iraq but war pushed them out, living in several different places before coming to Canada, where their household of three has used the food bank for about two years to help make ends meet.
“When I came here, I couldn’t find any job and had no income,” Alex said, explaining her family members are seniors but don’t yet qualify for retirement, putting significant strain on their finances.
“At one point we couldn’t get anything to eat,” she said.
That led them to look for help, with people pointing them toward the food bank.
Even now, Alex explained that earning minimum wage isn’t enough to support three people and the food bank “helps us a lot,” especially the new market model started in April.
That model looks just like a grocery store, with shelves in the middle packed with non-perishables and coolers around the outside with fruits, vegetables, eggs, dairy and meats — all of which allows clients to pick the items that fit within their dietary needs instead of providing pre-packed bags of food.
“Before they gave us everything and we had to return some or give it to others, but now we take only what we need and leave the rest for others who need it,” Alex said.
That was a common message shared by others including Kenny, who said previously he shared items he couldn’t use or donated them at the community fridge outside the library.
Now, he only comes maybe once every three months if he’s having a tough time financially.
“It helps a lot, because it’s hard enough now finding work and paying bills,” Kenny said.
Without a home, Melanie Culford said she’s been using the food bank for about one year and depending on how many other un-housed people she’s with, they might take turns making the trek up the hill on Church Street to ensure they all have something to eat.
“I don’t have money for food,” she said, explaining an organization usually provides her with about $300 each month, but she hasn’t been able to receive it the last two months due to a discrepancy over bank statements.
“I have to get all the way up to the bank to get them and my mobility’s not the greatest. I have scoliosis, and I don’t have money for the bus either,” she said.
When it comes to the cheerful staff and volunteers at the food bank, Culford said she’s had nothing but positive experiences.
“They’re always very helpful and I wouldn't know what to do without them,” she said.
That praise was another common trend, and almost everyone who spoke with Village Media mentioned the kindness and respect they feel from the staff and volunteers.
Some clients were also pleasantly surprised upon checking out from the market, when volunteers offered extra items, including pre-made packs of snacks for clients with children.
Still, some clients saw the potential for the experience to be even better, with Sam (not her real name) suggesting those clients who need fewer non-perishable items should be able to take more fruits and vegetables when possible.
Mojgan Hamedani was one of those praising the workers for being “so friendly and helpful” to her family of four who have been clients on and off for about 10 years.
With her husband retired and an issue with her hands making it difficult for her to work, Hamedani explained the stress on their income makes it hard to support her two children.
“That’s why we come, because we need it,” she said.
While she’s a fan of the market model, Hamedani suggested it could be even better with more cooking oils, margarine, butter, and even non-food items like toilet paper and tissues available to clients.
She also thought it would be helpful to have more individually packaged items for kids’ school lunches.
More information about the food bank and how it has been supporting the community since 1991 can be found at bradfordfoodbank.ca.
