Peter Kerek

Jennifer Adams

Food banks exist because we have had a movement by government to rely on social agencies and the public generosity and compassion as currency instead of providing basic income, controlling housing and utility costs. This is systemic and affects everyone. The measure of success in society should not be gauged by how well the top earners are doing but how well the lowest earners are doing. In Canada the gap is growing governments continue to shift responsibility. Universal income, more employers willing to employ folks on disability or with barriers to employment would eliminate the need for Food Banks. People want a hand up, not a hand out.

Alison Klie

I believe that food banks have become so permanent because we live in a time where the poor are expected to choose other basic necessities such as transportation, internet, and communication over food. Food is an easy item to supply, as you said we have no shortage of it. The way to change this is to raise minimum wage in areas according to cost of living. We also need to make access to things like a cell phone and the internet a right. Its hard to get and keep a job when you don't have a cell phone or regular access to a computer. Minimum wage should be able to cover all your expenses including rent, transportation, communication, home bills, and food. I believe in fair wages and meaningful employment for all Canadian Citizens.

Dale Bass

We have yet to resolve poverty. A living wage is a bare minimum. Its very name speaks to how essential it is. Our governments are not supporting our marginalized and challenged. Seniors need the food bank. Special needs adults and children need the food bank. And we talk a lot about child poverty and we study it but our governments are not making tangible changes to eliminate it.

William James Turnbull

Lack of a living wage (or guaranteed living income).

Bill Sarai

We need to increase the minimum wage.actually raise it to a living wage is approx $17-$18 in Kamloops , it is unectebale for someone to have 2- part time jobs and still have to reach out to the food bank to get food on the table . It is not fair that Canadians , especially our seniors are having to chose between medicine or food , or food and utilitie bills . We are better than that .

Arjun Singh

Food banks should always be one place where we offer resources and programs to help people be able to pay for their own food and become independent.

Stephen Karpuk

We are in a 30+ yr homelessness cycle that started in the 1980's with the interest rate increases and that is why food banks started. The previous homelessness cycle was in the great depression. Unfortunately we have seen the gap in wealth growing since and that has perpetuated the problem. Since that time we have had other economic problems that have only made the problems worse. Another factor is more than ever before people are living in urban centers where costs of living are higher and it is harder to make ends meet. People are disconnected from each other and the land that sustains them. This is a global problem.

Canada is the only G8 country in the world that does not have a national housing strategy. That would be a great place to start. I think we need to push for more people to people connectivity and more people to landbase to also help meet the challenge of eliminating poverty and homelessness. More access to community gardens and more affordable housing options, like carriage homes, micro homes, etc., would also be helpful and that is something I know can be done at a municipal level.

Lastly, but vitally important. We need to give everyone hope that they can get ahead IF they are willing to work for it. Less handouts and more hand ups. People need to gain self worth and the only proven method I know is to work or serve others. People need to be accountable.

My grandfather arrived in Canada in 1925 from Communist Russia. He had no social safety net, did not speak English or French, and had no home or anything other than a drive to improve himself. He did whatever it took to become successful, and he did. He prided himself on that fact, that he did it all himself. Many others like him worked hard to build our country. People today have a lot more than he ever did and yet they fail? Perhaps they need to work harder and we need to stop the handouts in favour of handups. It worked for many generations.