The following are facts about hunger in Canada taken from Food Banks Canada.

HUNGER FACTS 2009

How many are being helped by food banks?

- Number of people assisted by a food bank in March 2009:  794,738

- Number helped by food banks for the first time: 72,231 – 9% of the total

- Change in food bank use since 2008: + 18 % – the largest year-over-year increase on record

- Change in food bank use since 1999:  + 10 %

- Number of meals served by food banks in March 2009:  3,252,134

- Number of food banks in Canada:  884 and 2,906 affiliated agencies

- Provinces that experienced the largest increases in use compared to 2008:

- Alberta (+ 61%)
- Nova Scotia (+ 20%)
- Ontario (+ 19%)
- Manitoba (+ 18%)
- British Columbia (+ 15%)
- New Brunswick (+ 14%)

- Number of provinces & territories without a food bank:  0

- Years since Canada’s first food bank opened in Edmonton:  28

Who are food banks helping?

- 37% of those helped are children and youth

- 49% of assisted households are families with children

- 39% are single people

- 12% are couples without children

- 19% of assisted households have income from current or recent employment

- 13% receive disability-related income supports

- 6.3% are on a pension

- 52% receive social assistance benefits

- 87% live in rental accommodations

- 6% own their own home

How are Canadian food banks managing the increase in need?

- 28% of food banks lack adequate funding

- 31% of food banks do not have enough food to meet the need

- 36% of food banks have been forced to give out less food than usual

- 55% bought more food than usual to meet the need

- Nearly half of food banks in Canada have no paid staff

- 23% report difficulty recruiting enough volunteers to manage everyday operations