P.E.I. food banks prepare for a busy back-to-school season

Prince Edward Island food banks are preparing for one of their busiest times of the year: the back-to-school rush. 

Mike MacDonald is the executive director of the Upper Room Food Bank in Charlottetown, and expects this year to be just as busy as last year.

"Every September, or really every August, we see our numbers increase," he said. "More and more families and more and more children are relying on food banks — not only here in Charlottetown, but across the province."

MacDonald said he's not surprised that things pick up for the food bank this time of year, with parents wanting to make sure their kids are ready when school begins. As a parent himself, Macdonald knows that comes with a cost.

"We want our kids to have everything that the other children in the classroom and the school have," he said. "Everybody wants the best for their child and wants them to fit in."

Patrick Wheaton, a father visiting the Island with his children, says he thinks the price of back-to-school products has doubled since the COVID pandemic begin. He said at this time of the year, his kids usually need new sneakers, jackets and backpacks, among other things. 

"I don't think anyone is saving these days going back to school," said Wheaton. "You have got to spend the money on the kids to make sure they have a bright future."

The Upper Room Food Bank supports an average of about 1,100 families and 950 children each month, MacDonald estimated. That's a 25 per cent jump from last year, and double what it was five years ago. 

He said the food bank can benefit from donations of everyday items like granola bars and fresh fruit at this time of year — "really, anything that you use in your own daily eating."

Some high-demand items are at the top of the Upper Room's wish list, though.   

"We try to give everybody a box of cereal when they come in; we do go through that fairly quickly," said MacDonald. "Every month, we're going through over 1,000 boxes of cereal."

Personal hygiene products and school supplies are also welcomed as donations. 

While the government of P.E.I. does provide some funding for school supplies for students in kindergarten to Grade 9, MacDonald said students in high school need staples too — like binders, loose leaf papers and pencils.

"There are not too many items we ever say no to," he said.