When Janet moved to Lindsay five years ago, she never imagined needing to access a food bank to make ends meet.
Retired after a long professional career, Janet (not her real name, in respect of privacy) regularly attends a local lunch program at Lindsay’s St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. Despite a company pension and government benefits, she remains financially challenged due to the rising cost of food and additional living expenses.
In addition to the St. Andrew’s soup kitchen luncheons, Janet also gets support from other local providers, including A Place Called Home, the Lindsay Salvation Army, and Kawartha Lakes Centre of Hope. Even local grocery stores have assisted from time to time.
“I’m grateful for all of the providers and facilities that are here in Lindsay,” Janet says. She has taken the initiative to seek out available services for people in her situation, which isn’t always the case for some others.
“A lot of people are not inclined to do more to help themselves,” she observes. “They can have other complications in their lives that make it worse than just needing to get help with food.”
Despite a situation where she needs some assistance, she’s not sitting at home feeling sorry for herself. She strives to be proactive and to access available support.
“I enjoy the social aspect that the soup kitchen provides, and the supportive atmosphere of the group. I’m grateful for where I am today.”
The church has presented the luncheons three days a week for more than a decade. There are also Sunday Suppers twice monthly. Lunch attendance averages 40 people and has steadily increased this year. More than 70 people recently attended the Sunday Supper.
“It’s a real community effort,” says Dianne Dalton, St. Andrew’s member and one of the drivers behind the food programs. “People from several other local churches, as well as residents who are willing to help us, get involved.”
When it comes to food security in our community, the numbers are only going in one direction – up. Rising food prices, increasing cost of living, and escalating number of people in need of help leave more individuals than ever in crisis.
Food insecurity cuts to the heart of many other relevant issues confronting a significant portion of Kawartha Lakes’ population.
When it comes to food security in our community, the numbers are only going in one direction – up. Rising food prices, increasing cost of living, and escalating number of people in need of help leave more individuals than ever in crisis.
Local food banks and programs dedicated to helping those in need try to connect households and families with healthy, adequate nutrition. They are facing critical stress, meaning the entire community is being called upon to help at unprecedented rates.
Statistics bear out the serious situation. From 2021 to 2025, the number of local residents served by member food banks of the Kawartha Lakes Food Source nearly doubled: from 983 households representing 11,600 people in 2021 to 1,466 households (21,819 people) last year. More than one in five Kawartha Lakes households struggle with food insecurity.
Organizations have called on the federal government to set reduction targets for household hunger and inadequate access to nutritious food. Statistics Canada’s Canadian Income Survey shows that close to 25 per cent of the country’s population experiences food insecurity.
Though the local ratio is slightly less than the national average, that’s no reason to feel reassured about Kawartha Lakes’ situation. According to the recent Vital Signs report released earlier this year by the Kawartha Community Foundation and Kawartha Works Community Co-operative, the rate has risen steadily since 2019.
In addition to local food banks and regular food drives in almost every Kawartha Lakes community, a multitude of organizations and groups give time to support those in need.
Kawartha Lakes Food Source, a not-for-profit supplying food and personal care items to member agencies, operates from a centralized distribution centre. Food is collected from local donations as well as reclamation sources throughout Ontario. Food Source can purchase food in bulk, sort and store supplies, promote awareness of hunger and its impact, and co-ordinate fundraising.
Food Source Executive Director Ashley Anderson hopes the Vital Signs report will allow the City to see more clearly where changes need to be made.
The public is consistently generous in its financial support of local organizations, especially near year’s end as the “season of giving” coincides with reminders to make donations prior to Dec. 31. Giving trends take a dramatic turn over the next few months, however.
“Donations drop immensely once January comes,” Anderson says. “We use the abundance that comes in through the giving season to carry us through the first few months of the year. We have to, or we wouldn’t have enough to give to the local food banks.”
To meet the ever-growing number of those in need of assistance, Food Source has reached out further than ever to sources of support. Distribution centres notify Food Source when large amounts of surplus product become available. The organization regularly receives skids of food such as cereals and canned goods. A successful grant application led to getting a “retired” refrigerated courier delivery truck that helps immensely in the pickup process and will enable the acquisition of fresh produce. “Catch-22” issues arise, however, due to smaller food banks’ inability to store large amounts of products.
“We really don’t want to hold food, we want it getting to the food banks as soon as possible to avoid past ‘best before’ dates and to ensure they have enough to distribute, as numbers are often higher in the winter months,” Anderson says.
Though Food Source was established almost 25 years ago, she feels the concept of a “warehouse” for local food banks is a new concept to many. “It’s so vital for food banks – they are so busy and many are volunteer run. They don’t have the same capacity to fundraise, to shop with the Food Source’s buying power, and serve their clients at the same time – especially when most food banks have doubled their numbers of clients over the last few years.”
One member organization that has seen significant increases in demand is the Omemee Food Bank. The number of regular monthly clients has risen from 30 to nearly 50 in the last few years – equating to approximately 60 adults and 30 children monthly, says Omemee Manager Cathie Morrissey.
Support and shipments from Food Source are appreciated, Morrissey says, but are not enough. In a recent month, more than $800 worth of essentials (milk, bread, eggs, fruit and vegetables) was paid for out of the Omemee fundraising coffers. The organization receives financial and food donations from a generous community, but meeting an increasing demand is a constant challenge.
One member organization that has seen significant increases in demand is the Omemee Food Bank. The number of regular monthly clients has risen from 30 to nearly 50 in the last few years – equating to approximately 60 adults and 30 children monthly, says Omemee Manager Cathie Morrissey.
“In the last two years, our numbers have increased due to the rise in food costs and lack of affordable housing in Lindsay – people are moving out to our area in hopes of finding housing that’s less costly than in Lindsay.”
Vital Signs also points out there is a rising need to support lunch programs at local schools.
Throughout the school year, volunteers from Lindsay’s Cambridge Street United Church prepare weekly lunches for King Albert Public School students.
“For kids to learn, they have to be properly nourished,” says Darlene Sinclair, head volunteer for the program. Volunteers prepare and serve Friday lunches for more than 200 students. The number will increase in September, as there are more Kindergarten students entering King Albert than graduated Grade 8s.
Vital Signs also points out there is a rising need to support lunch programs at local schools. Throughout the school year, volunteers from Lindsay’s Cambridge Street United Church prepare weekly lunches for King Albert Public School students.
Most other local schools have been able to establish similar meal programs for students. Many youth also benefit from the food programs presented by BGC Kawarthas, formerly the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kawartha Lakes. The club offers before-school breakfast and after-school snacks. Approximately 60 students attend daily during the school year, and many more during summer camps. The programs are at the club in Lindsay and at several local schools.
BGC also offers cooking classes, menu planning and smart shopping at its Youth Warehouse programs in Lindsay and Fenelon Falls, for elementary and high school students. Kids at the Warehouse can also enjoy dinner at a reasonable price, with emphasis on healthy eating, menu planning and nutrition.
Throughout this summer, BGC is presenting suppers three days a week, says Carly Veitch, manager of support services.
“Since the youth centre opened, the number of users and demand has increased. I hear from my colleagues and peers in the community that the need for more programs is on the rise all across our community.”
“I was thankful that the BGC program was offered to me and am glad it is there for others like me who don’t always have enough,” one parent of the programs says. “The items each week are carefully thought out to help with snacks and meals but also provide staple items that help the whole family. While I do not access any other food bank at this time, I have in the past, and our town actually has a few programs to help families with that.”
Prior to assuming the Food Source’s lead role, Anderson managed the organization’s Lindsay Community Food Market. Clients register in an in-take process to access the Market.
“Last year was probably the most that I ever shed tears,” speaking with registrants seeking support, Anderson says. The circumstances leading to residents looking for help are varied and widely different in each situation. She adamantly stresses that people should not be embarrassed in having to ask for some support, though.
Many youth also benefit from the food programs presented by BGC Kawarthas, formerly the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kawartha Lakes. The club offers before-school breakfast and after-school snacks.
“People have actually been losing their homes because they’re falling behind on the cost of living, and I want them to let us help them where we can – let us help them to stop having to use their credit cards to ring up even more debt,” she says. “There’s no shame or stigma in having to come for help.”
As for Janet, she strives to be positive about her situation. “I could sit in my room and cry all day, but I don’t do that.”
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