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Pandemic shines spotlight on food insecurity crisis

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Barrie, Ont. -

The Barrie Food Bank has set a goal to raise $250,000 in cash donations to help those suffering food insecurity this year as demand continues to surge.

"That allows us to buy things at a great discount. It allows us to get exactly what we need," said volunteer Liz Rabinovitch.

Rabinovitch has been volunteering with the Barrie Food Bank for about a year and a half and said she sees how hard it's getting to afford food every day.

"It's people that live beside you, it's people that function in your realm that you're in, that are just in need of a little bit more," she said.

The region's largest food bank reports demand jumped 35 per cent again this year and more than 55 per cent from before the pandemic hit.

Single men and women make up the majority of its clients.

"The price rent in Barrie, the price of food, the price of gas, all these things are making it much more difficult for people who are trying to make ends meet," said Barrie Food Bank executive director Sharon Palmer.

Palmer said the food bank works with local farmers and stores to stretch every dollar that's donated.

"If someone is buying at retail, they're paying retail prices," Palmer said. "But we work with our local grocery stores, and they really help us out."

Chris Peacock with the Sharing Place Food Centre in Orillia and said food insecurity is on the rise.

Peacock said the centre is seeing hundreds more this year having to choose between shelter and food.

"People's income has stayed [the same], but the cost of living has gone [up], so if people were having trouble affording life's necessities, that cost of living has put them in a position where they're having to sacrifice what they eat on a daily basis and what their kids eat," Peacock said.

To keep up with increasing demand, the Barrie Food Bank is expanding its hours Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

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