‘No stigma in lining up for food’: Cambridge Food Bank executive director says of mobile food market which costs everyone a minimum of $5

CAMBRIDGE — On a table in boxes ready for purchase are lemons, garlic, cucumbers, bananas, green onions and large bunches of romaine lettuce.

These are the vegetables available this week at the Cambridge Food Bank travelling food market. The mobile food market stops in 11 locations in the city and North Dumfries Township from Tuesday to Friday.

It’s an equitable market with a fee for service, and what makes it unique is that it is affordable for everyone, said food bank executive director Dianne McLeod. The minimum flat-rate payment is $5.

“No one knows if you are rich or poor. It’s like a farmer’s market,” she said.

“It is delicious dignity. There is no stigma with lining up for food,” McLeod said.

The concept of the mobile market, which started in July 2021, was designed by food bank users during the pandemic. Many said they wanted to pay for food items they received rather than receive them for free, McLeod said

“We don’t want charity. We want to be like everyone else. We just can’t afford it at the grocery store,” McLeod said she heard from many food bank users, especially seniors.

Each week five varieties of fruits and vegetables are offered. The cost to the food bank is $10 and staff encourage those can give more to do so to support those who can not.

Stacie Cormier-Bugden comes to the Kiwanis housing development in Preston Heights every Wednesday to participate in a crocheting group. It’s also the day of the mobile food market and she comes with her $5 to get the weekly basket.

“You can’t get this for $5 at the grocery store,” said Cormier-Bugden, who is on a disability pension and feels strapped shopping at grocery stores.

“With the price of food some of the stuff you can’t afford. You just get the basics,” she said. “A lot of people need this.”

Earlier that day, the travelling van was at Knox United Church in Ayr where they sold 81 baskets of food, said Patrick Doyle, mobile food co-ordinator.

More locations are expected to be added this year, said food bank operations manager Amy Slack.

“The most important thing to us is people feel comfortable coming regardless of their income,” she said.

“The neighbourhood model is the selling point just as much as the project itself,” Slack added. The mobile market also promotes local produce and the food bank works with local farmers during the summer months.

McLeod said food banks across the country have reached out to her asking about their fee-for-service model. In 2022, the food bank sold 17,000 baskets of food. They hope to reach their goal of 20,000.

“We are almost breaking even. We want to be cost recovery,” McLeod said of the mobile market program.

The Food Bank of Waterloo Region has a similar mobile pantry program that travels into neighbourhoods but food is offered for free.

The Cambridge Food Bank has seen some staggering numbers this year as people struggle to put food on their tables. From January to April this year, the food bank saw 884 new families using their services compared to last year.

From January to April, 2022, 3,543 households received an emergency food hamper. During the same period this year, that number jumped to 5,771 households.

“We are the busiest now than any other time in our 38-year history,” McLeod said.

When they opened 23 year ago on Ainslie Street, they gave out 520 hampers. Last year, they gave out just over 14,000 hampers and they expect more than 20,000 this year.

And food donations are down, she said. Last year, the food bank spent $150,000 on buying food items and she expects that to jump to $250,000 this year.

In 2022, the food bank grew 10,000 pounds of food in gardens at Rare, the charitable research reserve in Blair. This year, food will also be grown at a garden at the Forward Church on Myers Road.

The food bank is also in the midst of finding a new location after more than two decades on Ainslie Street. They have outgrown the 23,000-square-foot space in downtown Galt and want a bigger home.

The city owns the building and the food bank is charged a nominal fee for rent. In addition, the area is set for redevelopment and they would prefer a more central location in the city with easier access for food delivery drop-offs.

Before a capital campaign can begin, they need a location. The search is on, McLeod said.

At a recent regional committee meeting, Coun. Doug Craig praised the food bank for its work and said it “punches much above its weight.”

Raising $10 million for a capital campaign will be “very, very difficult,” he said.

McLeod said the food bank is working with a consulting company to prepare a campaign and has not decided on how much money needs to be raised.

Regional Chief Executive Officer Bruce Lackner said at the meeting that the Region of Waterloo and the City of Cambridge are in discussions around a location for the food bank.

The food bank has an annual budget of $1.3 million, with most of the money collected from community donations. The only government funding it receives is from the region at $180,000. They also receive grants from organizations such as the Ontario Trillium Foundation.