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<\/p>\nTwice as many people in Mississauga are using food banks today than during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic nearly five years ago, Food Banks Mississauga officials say as they launch the organization\u2019s 2026 Spring Drive.<\/p>\n
And that troubling trend, they say, is reflected across the country, \u201cwith Statistics Canada reporting that more Canadians are experiencing food insecurity now than during the pandemic.\u201d<\/p>\n
Food Banks Mississauga CEO Meghan Nicholls, who heads the charitable organization that oversees 60-plus agencies\/food programs within its network, said food bank usage in Canada\u2019s seventh-largest city has continued to rise significantly since the pandemic. Some 49,000 Mississauga residents now turn to FBM for help putting food on the table, she added.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere has never been a \u2018return to normal\u2019 for us. In fact, food insecurity continues to worsen for our neighbours and it\u2019s affecting all community members, including those with employment,\u201d Nicholls said in a news release on Monday. \u201cWith the rising cost of living, having a job \u2014 or multiple jobs \u2014 no longer guarantees food security. Almost 30 per cent of food bank visitors in Mississauga have employment compared to less than 15 per cent just four years ago. Whether they are working or receiving social assistance, most months are a struggle for food bank visitors who must rely on us for food support.\u201d<\/p>\n
She added that\u2019s why FBM needs the community to \u201cgive generously during our Spring Drive,\u201d which continues until April 30. The organization\u2019s goal for this year\u2019s campaign is $800,000.<\/p>\n
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Food Banks Mississauga says more people than ever before are turning to food banks for help.<\/p>\n
Nicholls said every dollar donated will be matched by Scotts Canada Ltd., returning sponsor of the Spring Drive.<\/p>\n
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Genevi\u00e8ve Potvin, director of regulatory affairs and stakeholder relations at Scotts Canada Ltd., said the importance of food banks is well established.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all know that an organization like Food Banks Mississauga plays a crucial role in the community,\u201d said Potvin. \u201cIt is with conviction and hope that we are once again joining the Spring Drive; we firmly believe in the mission of Food Banks Mississauga and hope that donors will once again show their generosity. Let\u2019s keep in mind, and especially in our hearts, that our donations will directly help alleviate the hardships faced by thousands of food bank users, who are also our neighbours.\u201d<\/p>\n
In launching the spring campaign this week, FBM officials say people of all ages and from various walks of life need support from food banks.<\/p>\n
One such person is Ruth (not her real name), 78, who food bank officials describe as \u201cthe sole provider for her two young grandsons after her daughter passed away from cancer.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe never imagined that at 78, retired from working three jobs, that she would need to turn to a food bank.\u201d<\/p>\n
No grandmother \u201cshould ever have to face the choice between paying the rent or feeding her grandchildren,\u201d food bank officials added.<\/p>\n
For more information on the current food drive, including how to donate and volunteer opportunities, visit the Food Banks Mississauga website<\/a>.<\/p>\n During FBM\u2019s 2025 Holiday Drive, which concluded in early January, the organization raised a record-setting $3.2 million<\/a>, the most money the community has ever contributed to a single campaign.<\/p>\n One year ago, the 2025 Spring Drive raised $778,055<\/a>, falling short of FBM\u2019s $1 million goal.<\/p>\n (All photos: Food Banks Mississauga)<\/p>\n