Toronto's daily bread food bank served record number of people in November

Toronto’s daily bread food bank set a record last month and with grocery prices predicted to rise seven per cent next year it only expects to get busier.

The Toronto Daily Bread Food Bank served record 126,820 clients in November, and its CEO is predicting another bump.

The 12th edition of Canada’s Food Price Report projects that in 2022 the average family of four will spend up to $14,767 on food, nearly $1,000 more.

Amanda Williams was shopping for her family of four today and tells CTV News Toronto she is already feeling the pinch of higher pandemic prices.

“A lot of people have been struggling and I know that we have been watching our wallets but also try and support some organizations and doing what they can to support families. It’s scary, because for me I think ‘Where does it end?’”

Outside the same Metro, Pat Yoccado says her dollar does not stretch like it used to.

“My husband complains, $4 for a red pepper I bought and salad stuff, $3.99 for this skinny lettuce , it is going to be very difficult for a family.”

Leslie Valentine shops for two, but is on a fixed income and is worried what she’ll do when she can not afford to buy enough for herself.

“Never been to a food bank yet, but I guess I’m going to have to start going.”

At the Toronto Daily Food Bank, CEO Neil Hetherinton says the seven per cent price rise on food next year has huge implications.

“So it is going to affect us in two ways. One is individuals who need food are going to be at the Daily Bread Food Bank more often. Because their budget is not going to go as far as it needs to But for Daily Bread, all this food you see millions of dollars worth of food, it means Daily Bread needs to raise 560 thousand dollars more just to pay for that inflationary cost."

Daily Bread spends about $10 million a year on food to distribute to clients along with donated food.