Mission faces significant demand for food security
The recent survey by the Mission Food Coalition revealed that over 25% of households in Mission, British Columbia, required assistance for food last year. Stephen Evans, the coalition chair, reported to the council that 26% of the survey’s respondents needed food or money for food regularly. The survey, with 429 respondents, indicated that the majority had children and faced issues like insufficient food quality and quantity from support services. St. Joseph’s Food Bank emerged as the primary food support service, currently aiding 1,300 families and over 1,800 individuals, a significant increase from 2019. The Food Bank, grappling with operational challenges and space limitations, is a crucial part of the food security system in Mission. The Mission Food Coalition is developing a city-wide food security strategy, emphasizing the need for efficient community resource deployment and stronger partnerships to address the growing demand for food assistance, exacerbated by external economic factors like inflation and global supply chain issues. Evans plans to present this strategy to the council soon.
