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Financial Struggles

Full-time P.A. workers struggling to pay for food

Jun 6, 2022 | 5:00 PM

It seems it’s not just part-time workers and those without jobs who are struggling to put food on the table.

The Prince Albert Food Bank and the Salvation Army Prince Albert have each seen a big rise in new clients over the past month with many being full-time workers.

This comes as prices on things like gasoline and groceries have skyrocketed.

Kim Scruby, executive director of the P.A. Food Bank, told paNOW that not even the COVID-19 pandemic rose their numbers this quickly.

“We were seeing a lot more people come in who hadn’t been here before, but the numbers weren’t that high.”

Over the past month, they’ve had a 28 per cent increase in new clients. Usually, when they see an increase it’s between eight and 10 per cent. Along with many being full-time workers, many also have families.

The rise is even bigger for the Salvation Army.

From 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday the organization holds its brunch program where people can get a bagged lunch. Typically, they hand out between 75 and 80 meals, however, they’re currently averaging around 125. This represents a roughly 66 per cent increase.

Their soup program, which runs every Saturday, has recently been seeing an average of around 150 people, nearly double the number of people from previous weeks.

Major Pamela Stanger believes this latest setback was simply too much for people to overcome.

“People have been saying it’s COVID, it’s COVID, we just have to hang on, we just need to hang on and now there’s been this huge increase in gas prices and food, and people are really struggling.”

Meanwhile, this may just be the start.

Scruby believes it’s only going to get worse as prices continue to rise.

That, along with the fact people tend to use credit when they have a tough time paying for things like food and gas.

“You still got inflation to deal with plus the expenditure of increasing minimum payments and that type of thing.”

Neither the food bank nor Salvation Army has seen a drop in donations, however, each needs even more than before to continue helping their growing client list.

People can donate on the food bank’s website, while the Salvation Army also accepts donations online and over the phone by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769).

Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow

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