With about 1,000 people utilizing Haliburton County food banks each month, figureheads of the 4Cs in Haliburton, Central Food Network (CFN) in Highlands East, and the Minden Community Food Centre (MCFC) say there’s likely to be a record-demand for Christmas hampers this festive season.
Judy MacDuff, manager of the 4Cs, said 2025 has seen another wave of new people relying on the food bank to get by. From March 1 to Oct. 31, the 4Cs served 1,683 households and 3,164 people
“Those numbers are just growing and growing every year,” MacDuff said. “The last eight months, we’ve registered at least three people every month. One month, I actually had five new people in two days. They seem to come all at once.”
She said the food bank has seen an influx of young people – late teens and 20s. “They just can’t make ends meet,” MacDuff said. She noted the 4Cs has served 919 children so far this fiscal year.
It’s a similar story in Highlands East and Minden Hills, said CFN’s Tina Jackson and MCFC’s Jean Munroe, with their organizations also serving more people than ever before.
“We estimate between our three organizations, the food banks are feeding around 1,000 people every month. The need has never been greater,” Jackson said. “People are struggling more and more to keep up.”
Munroe added, “this year has been extremely challenging, with demand for our services rising faster than we can keep pace. My hope is that this surge is a temporary spike driven by the economy, and that we’ll see relief in the new year.”
With hundreds of Highlands families requiring a helping hand this holiday season, the food bank leads say they’re in the thick of planning and preparing for next month’s mass giveaway. The deadline to register for a holiday hamper, or equivalent gift card, is Dec. 5.
CFN will be giving out packages filled with turkey, ham, potatoes, stuffing mix, gravy, cranberry sauce, eggs, milk, bacon, juice, bread, cheese, butter/margarine and treats. There will be substitutes available for those with special dietary needs, Jackson confirmed. They will be available for pickup the week before Christmas.
MCFC is offering a drive-thru service at S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena, Munroe said, with hampers including all the usual Christmas dinner fixings, and goodies for breakfast the next morning.
The 4Cs will be doling out Christmas vouchers, which can be used to pick-up groceries at Haliburton Foodland or Todd’s Independent. MacDuff said the amount each household gets varies depending on the number of people living there. Collectively, 536 people were supported last year.
The food banks will also be giving out gifts for children, with CanoeFM and the Haliburton County Home Builders Association (HCHBA) running toy drives in the lead up to Christmas. The Canoe drive runs until Nov. 30, with people asked to drop donations off at the station. HCHBA will be collecting toys from 15 partnering businesses in Haliburton and Minden until Dec. 16.
Jackson and Munroe say they’re specifically looking for items that can be gifted to older kids, anticipating that’s where there will be the fewest donations but the highest need. Suggested donations include sports items, games, art supplies, small electronics, and gift cards.
Highlands East residents can register by calling 705-243-2419, Haliburton residents 705-457-3010, and Minden Hills residents 705-286-6838. For more information, visit foodbankshaliburtoncounty.ca.
