Deltaport bomb threat: DPD say it was a hoax, 3 Fed boundary changes: Report will be ready in February, 6 THURSDAY
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JANUARY 12
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2023
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SDSS finishes fourth at home tourney, 22
Food prices keep climbing, while income stays the same
Seniors on fixed incomes feeling it the most PHIL MELNYCHUK
C o n t r i b u t i n g Wr i t e r
The constantly climbing costs of food is hurting those whose incomes are stuck and the pressure on prices is being noticed in Delta by those who help the hungry. At Deltassist, demand for the food that the Emergency Food Cupboard gives out has almost doubled, said Lisa Pitman, manager of community and senior services. Grocery bags containing macaroni, canned fruit, meats and pasta, cereal, juice and peanut butter are given out on an emergency basis – both to those who have places to live and the homeless. “It’s been pretty crazy. Not fun,” she said recently, saying she’s seeing more homeless and seniors. Now each week, the Emergency Food Cupboard gives out about 80 of those bags. In 2020 fiscal year, the program gave out a total of 435 grocery bags. In 2021, that more
than doubled to 945. Numbers for 2022 were not available yet. And usually when demand increases, the emergency food program puts out a notice on social media to ask for donations, which then come flooding in, but that’s no longer the case as donations are slowing as well. The cash and price crunch also is visible via the Shop and Drop Program, which Deltassist took over in 2020. That program was designed to provide groceries to seniors who were isolated because of COVID-19, but the program has continued because of the need in the community. Shop and Drop helps seniors who may have trouble getting out and about. Volunteers call seniors every second week, give them their grocery list, volunteers do the shopping and deliver the food, then get paid at the door step. “We have noticed that their grocery shops are
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Volunteers prep food orders for the Delta Meals on Wheels program, which is feeling the pinch like many other community support programs of higher food costs and a demand for more support from residents. getting smaller, so we’ve observed that and we’re thinking that has to do with the rising costs of things,” added Colleen Danes, senior services coordinator at Deltassist “Each week, it’s kind
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of like, oh, they’re not ordering as much as they used to, so my volunteers are really thinking it has to do with the cost of everything because it’s not affordable anymore.” Currently, 13 seniors
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in Ladner are using the service, down from about 30 during the pandemic. A similar service is available in Tsawwassen where 26 seniors are using the Save-On Foods shop program. Five
volunteers call seniors weekly and take their orders. Volunteers do the shop and Save-On Foods pays for the delivery service. CONTINUED: see Page 7
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