UHC donates Christmas food hampers [Video]

Local dignitaries and donors joined Unemployed Help Centre (UHC) staff Thursday morning in distributing 250 Christmas food hampers to preregistered food bank clients at the UHC – Hub of Opportunities.

Just hours before, the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University presented its annual review of the most impactful food stories shaping Canada’s agri-food landscape, with record food bank visits topping the list.

“It wasn’t a difficult pick for our group, unfortunately,” said Sylvain Charlebois, senior director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab. “Higher interest rates, the cost of living has gone up in Canada. It’s not just food prices. It’s everything.”

Charlebois said Canada’s food insecurity rate reached an unprecedented 22.9 per cent, driven by soaring prices and inflation, emphasizing the need for stronger social safety nets.

“At the end of the day, people need help,” said Charlebois. “You also have seen the emergence of the working poor, people working, but …