Families Rely on Soup’s On Amid Rising Poverty and Food Insecurity – SteinbachOnline.com

The soup kitchen in Steinbach is experiencing increased demand for its products. Family lunch programreflecting the growing needs of families in society.

Norma Hildebrand, lunch program coordinator at The soup is readyexplains, “The family lunch program has actually been around almost as long as the school lunch program. It’s just growing substantially because of the needs of the Community.”

Families can purchase a week’s supply of lunches that match what schools provide, allowing children to bring their own lunches without feeling different from their peers.

With 61 families and 163 children using the program every day, the need for donations and volunteers has never been greater.

“We definitely couldn’t function without volunteers,” emphasizes Hildebrand. “We work with a lot of volunteers every week…volunteers are always needed.”

Norma Hildebrand is the lunch program coordinator for Soup’s On in Steinbach.

She encourages anyone interested to come and see how they can help, as community support is critical.

Donations play a vital role in keeping the program running.

“We thrive on donations. We can’t do this without donations,” says Hildebrand, noting that donations come from both individuals and businesses. Every dollar counts, whether it’s a $5 donation from a grandmother whose grandchildren use the program or larger donations from local businesses.

While the stigma around needing help still exists, Hildebrand believes the situation is improving.

“I think we’re slowly getting there,” she muses. “Even kids at school can say, ‘Oh, I had help with lunch today,’ and there’s definitely not that stigma.”

A partnership with the Hanover School Division has strengthened the program with the addition of seven schools and a new nutrition initiative providing 2,000 fruits and vegetables each week.

As the program continues to expand, community support remains important to ensure that every child receives the nutrition they need.

New data from Food Banks Canada shows more people than ever are facing difficult decisions regarding food security. A recent study recorded more than two million visits to food banks in March 2024, nearly double the monthly rate five years ago and six percent higher than last year’s record high. Rapid inflation, rising housing costs and inadequate social support are pushing many people into new levels of poverty and food insecurity, according to the study.

—With files from Cassandra Szklarski, The Canadian Press.