by Jane Glenn | 1 December 2025
As the cold moves in and the holiday season approaches, local food banks have begun their annual drives to help those in need in the community. Inflation and soaring food prices are impacting most Canadian households and as a result driving the demand for food bank assistance higher.
Alice Wannan, Community and Family Services Manager for The Salvation Army Owen Sound and Saugeen Shores said "food bank assistance is the highest it has ever been in Saugeen Shores." As of October of this year, the team of 30 volunteers have provided 10,425 pounds of food to 125 households, 289 individuals, 96 children, and 19 seniors.
Their holiday push for donations kicked off with the Emergency Responder's drive, which was "an incredible day" that brought in over 3,200 pounds of food, hundreds of toys and over $3,000 in financial donations.
The Living Hope Food Basket has also seen "a sharp increase in those making use of the support in the past five years," said Tricia Verburg, Director and Pastor at the Living Hope Centre. "In 2019, on average we would see eight to 12 households through each day we were open, we now see 30 to 35, so 70 to 80 households a week," she said, explaining that Living Hope defines a household as an individual, a couple, or a family.
"Just over a year ago we were supporting over 275 separate households, I would imagine that number is much higher," said Verburg.
The sentiment was echoed by Deborah Jennings, President of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVP) St. Joseph-St Patrick Conference. "Many families are struggling to keep a roof over their heads with the outrageous cost of housing, mortgages and rent, pay for heat and hydro, pay for a vehicle, put gas in their vehicles for getting back and forth to work. More and more are forced to turn to food banks on a regular basis just to help put food on the table. Soup is almost $4 a can. And we Vincentians go out of our way to shop specials, stock up on sale items."
In 2024, the number of families requesting assistance from the SVP food bank doubled all of 2023, said Jennings, adding that in the past month they've doubled that number again. "Is it the season or a sign of the times," she asked, noting that SVP is open to all, not just parish members.
"When times are tough like in the past few years, people rise to the occasion by donating more and more often to help others in their time of need," said Jennings. "We rely totally on monetary and food/toiletry donations in order to run our food bank and 100 percent of what we receive goes to our Port Elgin, Southampton and Saugeen First Nations families in need," Jennings explained.
Saugeen First Nation (SFN) Food Bank is in the midst of preparations for their annual Toy Drive and Christmas Dinner with the Queen's Bar and Grill with donations coming in of non-perishable food items as well as deer, elk, and fish.
"We are grateful for that," said Food Bank Coordinator Erin Kewaquom, who said the SFN Food bank has seen an increase in new clients and client need over the last few years with particular focus on meat, school snacks, soups, juice, crackers, hygiene products, and pet food.
SFN Food Bank is open for donations from Monday to Friday 9am to 4:30pm.
The Tara Area Food Bank also reported an increase in regular and new clients this year. "We also get more emergency calls of people finding themselves not able to wait until the day we are open," said Anne Crocker, a Tara Food Bank volunteer. "We expect to send out a record number of Christmas hampers this year. We will have over 40 hampers and over 60 children to provide for," Crocker said, adding that the Tara Food Bank is run by 22 volunteers.
Crocker said the biggest event of the year is the Tara Santa Claus parade on December 6 at 7pm and as always, volunteers will be collecting non perishable food along the parade route. Items can also be sent to Arran-Tara Elementary School, who are also participating in the drive.
When asked what items are most in demand, Crocker said there is always a need for staple items like peanut butter, canned chicken or ham, tuna, rice, pasta sauce, and coffee.
"People have likely noticed a huge increase in the cost of coffee so this is especially appreciated by clients this year," said Crocker. "And people often don't think to donate hygiene items such as shampoo, deodorant, soap, toothpaste, tampons, and diapers."
The Paisley and Community Food Bank is run out of the Paisley Missionary Church and covers a large rural area including parts of Arran-Elderslie, Saugeen Shores, Brockton and the Town of Paisley, said Carol McCulloch, Food Bank and Christmas Hamper Coordinator.
"It has been a busy year with an increase in clients using our services," said McCulloch. "The cost of living has put more pressure on everyone with the constant rise in food prices and unaffordable housing for many, which in turn increases the number of clients needing to use our services and decreases what individuals and other donors have to give," she said, adding that the cost of purchasing has almost doubled in the last couple of years and in some cases it has more than doubled.
McCulloch said they use all cash donations to purchase needed items on sale "which stretches our dollars to the max" and in doing so they are able to keep more food on their shelves.
All food banks we spoke with said cash donations are also appreciated as it allows clients to purchase fresh food and not have to spend their budget on buying staples. To donate or access services from any of the food banks mentioned, see below.
SALVATION ARMY SAUGEEN SHORES
Bins are located in grocery stores in Saugeen Shores.
Office hours for donations are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9am to 4pm.
Anyone in need of food bank assistance or with Christmas assistance (toy assistance too), they can reach out to the Salvation Army office.
614 Barnes Ave, Port Elgin
519-389-3942
SAINT VINCENT de PAUL
Donate food, toiletries or personal hygiene items and cash, checks, e-transfers or PAR to stjosephportelgin@hamiltondiocese.com or SVP c/o St Joseph’s Parish, 920 Wellington St., Port Elgin.
To access services, call the SVP hotline 519-832-2207.
SVP Food Bank hours are the first or third Wednesday of each month, 11am to 2pm. All are welcome.
LIVING HOPE FOOD BASKET
Open Tuesdays and Thursdays 12 to 3pm or by appointment. Donations can be dropped off when the Food Basket is open or an alternate time can be arranged by emailing livinghope@bmts.com.
Financial donations can also be mailed to 103-515 Goderich Street, Port Elgin, N0H 2C4. Tax receipts are issued at the end of the year for donations over $20.
SAUGEEN FIRST NATION FOOD BANK
Monday to Friday 9am to 4:30pm
37 Mason Drive, Southampton
519-797-2781 ext. 2500
TARA AREA FOOD BANK
Food can be dropped off at the Vault Wellness on Yonge St in Tara during their business hours and toys can be dropped off at Aiken's Home Hardware in Allenford or Hatten's Home Hardware in Tara before December 8.
To make a monetary donation, e-transfer tarafoodbank@gmail.com and send an email to the same address with your name and address in order to receive an income tax receipt.
Monetary donations can also be made at the Bank of Montreal in Tara but tax receipts will not be given. Cheques are also accepted to Tara Area Food Bank, PO Box 430, Tara ON N0H 2N0.
Anyone in need of a hamper in the Tara area is asked to call Nicole at 519-270-3684 by December 3. Hampers will be delivered December 13.
Tara Area Food Bank is open Wednesdays from 12 to 3pm at Christ Church Anglican, 56 Bruce Road 17 in Tara.
PAISLEY AND COMMUNITY FOOD BANK
Individuals needing to access their services can contact 519-353-5270 to make an appointment. Messages can be left on the confidential voicemail and a coordinator will return the call promptly.
Donations can also be made by phoning 519-353-5270 or drop off donations at the Paisley Missionary Church, 307 Balaklava Street Monday to Friday 9am to 2pm or by appointment.
Monetary donations will receive a tax receipt.
Last Updated December 4, 2025
