Food aid as holidays approach: Needed “more than ever”

Food, clothing and furniture: Needs are greater than ever on the Quebec side of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, which is asking the population to give generously as the holidays approach.

“Food aid has exploded. We now provide food aid to 33,000 beneficiaries a year,” said Jean-Luc Lavoie, president of the Société Saint-Vincent-de-Paul de Quebec.

Credit: Nicolas Saint-Pierre

With the holiday fast approaching, the demand for traditional Christmas baskets is also experiencing a meteoric rise.

“We went from 8,000 baskets last year to 10,000 this year, but the demand will be 12,000,” explained the president at the launch of 162.^e Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Food Drive, Saturday morning.

Credit: Nicolas Saint-Pierre

“The needs are better and we definitely need to expand our group of donors, because there are fewer and fewer people with ways to give, so I appeal to all supermarkets in the Quebec region to be generous with charities during the holidays” he added.

“never seen”

The latter also explains that inflation and rising interest rates have pushed many below the poverty line, making them turn to support institutions for survival.

“The needs are greater than ever. They were huge during the pandemic, but many people were on the poverty line and then fell.

“In many cases these are people in employment and retirees who have worked their whole lives, which is really unheard of,” he said.

Different requirements

He also noted an alarming 85% increase in requests for help with clothing or furniture in the past year.

Until December 31, hundreds of volunteers will be in Greater Quebec and the Chaudière-Appalaches region to collect monetary donations or non-perishable food during “La Gignoli qui fight la difference”.

Credit: Nicolas Saint-Pierre

It is also possible to donate online madedifference.ca.