The holiday season isn鈥檛 always about twinkling lights, festive get-togethers, on-trend gifts, or favourite Christmas movies.

For many, the focus is on keeping a roof overhead or having food available for their next meal 鈥� and that has been more trying than ever for more residents this year.

Sources Community Resources Society executive director of community planning Corina Carroll said the South Surrey food bank is seeing about a 30 to 35 per cent increase in use right now, which is echoed at Sources鈥� 91原创 food bank.

鈥淭here鈥檚 been significant increases 鈥� even since September 鈥� we鈥檝e gone from about 750 per week to over 1,000 people accessing the food bank,鈥� she said, noting that number is per location.

鈥淭here鈥檚 over 3,000 registered right now (for both locations). And we鈥檙e seeing a growth in employed people and families accessing the food bank.鈥�

While there鈥檚 always been about a 20 per cent senior population that accesses the food bank, workers and volunteers are hearing they鈥檙e struggling more than usual this year, said Carroll.

鈥淭he food banks provide a two-day supplement 鈥� that鈥檚 generally what it鈥檚 intended for 鈥� but we are seeing and hearing now that people are trying to make that last longer because they鈥檙e short on resources,鈥� she said, adding that some may be stretching the food to last longer than is nutritionally advisable.

Sources also strives to provide the healthiest food options to those who access the food bank, Carroll added, as a lack of proper nutrition can lead to other health complications, and 鈥渨e want to avoid that.鈥�

READ ALSO:

The majority of those who access the food bank are between the ages of 29 to 45, many being working families.

鈥淲e鈥檙e hearing more people say they鈥檙e trying to get through鈥� I think they just can鈥檛 sustain鈥� we鈥檙e at this crisis point. We came out of the pandemic, people are still recovering, I think, even mental health-wise from the pandemic, then we鈥檝e got all these other issues at play, so people are trying their best to make things work and they just can鈥檛 sustain it, and they need these pockets of relief.鈥�

Food donations to the food bank have been significantly down this year and while, historically, November and December are the food bank鈥檚 biggest months for financial donations, people have been giving less food in the bins provided at local grocery stores and other businesses.

鈥淔or our Thanksgiving food drive, the results were a bit lower than expected because times are tough for everybody鈥� if normally, they had a little bit to give, they might not have that now.鈥�

But so many people still volunteer their time and give, or plan to give, Carroll said, citing a recent report that showed Canadians are willing to cut back on gifts but still maintain their charitable giving.

Carroll hopes the community continues to rally around those in need.

鈥淲e cannot normalize hunger in this country, in this region, in this community鈥� we need to make sure we don鈥檛 accept the fact we have our neighbours going hungry.鈥�

In addition to providing the basic need of food, there鈥檚 more to giving, especially at this time of year, she added.

鈥淭he other thing I think that matters is that people feel like there鈥檚 people out there who care 鈥� that people are giving with no expectation of getting something in return,鈥� said Carroll. 鈥淧eople who are facing adversity, people who are struggling right now, they need to know that there are people willing to give with no strings attached.鈥�

If people don鈥檛 have money or food to donate, they can still help, she emphasized, such as giving a coat that doesn鈥檛 get worn very often.

鈥淲e鈥檙e always looking for warm clothing 鈥� gently used 鈥� it鈥檚 not always about giving money,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 also volunteering. We can always use volunteers 鈥� if people don鈥檛 have money, they might have time.鈥�

Carroll said she encourages people to have conversations about food security and homelessness, to be more aware and educated about what鈥檚 happening in their own community.

鈥淧eople are, right now, just trying to survive. Ideally we want to get people thriving,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think we all want to see our communities thriving and communities are made up of individuals, so if individuals are not thriving, then a community isn鈥檛.鈥�

To donate, visit the sources website at .