The Inn of the Good Shepherd in Sarnia, Ontario, has capped its food bank at 40 households a day as donations continue to drop, leaving the charity with fewer supplies for residents who rely on it.
Executive Director Jack Christine said the limit has been in place for about a month. The food bank hands out numbers starting at 8:30 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis, and clients can use the service once every 21 days.
Christine said the shortage has been building for months as food donations have fallen month to month. The Inn helps about 2,200 people a month and has been spending about $12,000 a month to buy food to keep shelves stocked.
The pressure comes as the need for help has gone up. The Inn said former executive director Myles Vanni reported nearly a 20 per cent rise in food bank use over four years, while donations dropped by a similar amount.
The organization operates from 115 John Street and also runs a soup kitchen, two homeless shelters, a clothing program and other support services.
