Breaking records at the Cambridge Food Bank is becoming regular event as the organization approaches another milestone year of unprecedented growth.
Cambridge Food Bank Diane McLeod CEO said the organization has seen a 75 per cent increase in demand for its food hampers so far in 2024 when compared to two years ago.
"This year alone, we've handed out 14,738 food hampers to families in our community," McLeod said. "Typically, the summer is a bit of a slower time when people come in for food, but that has not proven the case this year."
The food bank saw over 30,000 visits last year and at least least a third of those visits were made by people under the age of 18.
McLeod estimates more than 3,000 children are receiving food from the food bank this year, representing a 66 per cent increase from 2022.
"Donations are down, but we are trying to supplement this loss by growing our own food and having amazing partners who help us grow," McLeod said.
For this year's harvest, the Cambridge Food Bank has been able to bring in over 2,000 pounds of fresh food that will go directly back into the community hampers.
The food bank says it has also been cultivating a network of services to help the community, including a mobile food market, social ventures at local farmers' markets and food pick-ups at its headquarters on Ainslie Street.
With unrelenting increases in the number of people accessing their services, McLeod says staff and volunteers are committed to providing as much service as possible.
"We are about to head into our busy time of the year and that means we are going to have to move food in and out of here faster than we ever have before," she said.
"We've brought on a few more staff to help us, but it's all human power so we can only move so fast."
The Cambridge Food Bank will hold its annual general meeting this month to inform the community about its work to tackle food insecurity in the city.
The food bank is required to share its financials with the community each year after being audited.
On Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. the food bank will be at Forward Church, 55 Franklin Blvd., to detail how they "build health and belonging through food."
As students head back to school this week, McLeod noted that donations are more crucial than ever as they make sure kids are fed and ready to succeed at school.
Usually, they have a list of items that are most in need, but with the recent demand, McLeod notes that everything is needed.
"We are open to everything and anything. We are here to feed tummies and not landfills so anything that can come to us and we can use, we will find a way to use it."