Food Banks Were Never Meant as Long Term Solutions for Food Insecurity

Food banks were first created as a measure to address unmet needs in certain communities in the 1980's. Now however, they serve as the main support system for food insecurity, a solution some poverty reduction activists are calling a Band-Aid. Meaghon Reid, Executive Director of Vibrant Communities Calgary, asks "What are we doing to make sure that people require these services less frequently?". She notes that Canadians should think about solutions to food insecurity instead of determining how much food or monetary donations are needed to keep people fed every day.

Read the full article: Food banks were never supposed to be permanent, CEO says

Food Insecurity Is A Growing Problem for Calgarians

While Calgary is above the national average on eliminating poverty and food insecurity, there is a growing concern about the issues for some Calgarians. Lee Stevens, Policy and Research Specialist of Vibrant Communities Calgary, calls for a focus on income solutions instead of food based solutions.

Watch the full interview here: Food insecurity a growing problem for some Calgarians

Albertans are feeling less optimistic about their finances in 2025

A new report by accounting firm MNP finds that more than two out of five Albertans are less than $200 from being able to meet their financial obligations each month. “People are slowing down how much debt they’re accumulating but, because of the high cost of living over the past five years, people have already accumulated quite a lot of debt. So this lower interest rate sort of stops the bleeding in some ways, but it doesn’t erase the fact that people are in a more uncertain position economically,” said Meaghon Reid, Executive Director of Vibrant Communities Calgary.

Read the full article: Albertans are less optimistic about their finances in the new year