We are all feeling the rising cost of food. During the weekly grocery shop, you pause at the register, you look at the amount due, you look at the bag(s) of food you are purchasing, and then you look back at the register.
This year, the 14th edition of Canada’s Food Price Report predicts that all provinces may experience price increases of up to 4.5%, across all food categories, with some categories like bakery, meat, and vegetables, to increase in price between 5% and 7%. These increases are attributed mainly to the rising costs of producing food, transporting it, and the detrimental effects of climate change on crop yields.
To help consumers budget, the report calculated what people can expect to pay for groceries for a year. Here are examples that contain the age demographic that we serve. For the average male, between 14 and 30 years of age, the annual cost for food will be approximately $4,500. For a female of the same age, the coast will be approximately $3,800.
Feeling the Pinch
At Covenant House Vancouver, we are also feeling the rising cost of food. We have been diligently keeping track. Here are just a few examples of the increases that we’ve seen since December:
- Poultry: 4.5%
- Beef: 7%
- Eggs: 39.8%
- Rice: 6.9%
- Tea and coffee: 10.3%
Covenant House Vancouver serves youth from 16–24 years of age. In 2023, we served close to 120,000 meals. Between our two housing programs, our Outreach and Drop-In Centre services, and the opening of two low-barrier programs, the impact from the rising cost of food has really been felt.
Covey’s Cupboard
In addition to meals, Covenant House helps support youth in the community with a grocery service known as Covey’s Cupboard. This service is available through our Drop-In Centre. Once a week, youth are able to fill their grocery bags with a variety of fresh, frozen, canned, and dry foods. This service helps youth, like Sam, who are living out in the community, but along with all of their other expenses, are finding it hard to purchase enough groceries to sustain themselves.
As you can imagine, this service is very popular, and the need is always growing.
Some of the most sought-after items are:
- Fresh: dairy, proteins, vegetables, and fruit
- Frozen: dairy, proteins, vegetables, and fruit
- Dry goods: rice, pasta, soup mixes, cereal, powdered milk/juice
- Canned: soup, sauces, fruits, vegetables, meats, cooking/baking products, peanut butter
- Condiments and spices
If you are able to support Covey’s Cupboard with food products, please arrange your delivery with Cory Kaban at 604-757-6064.
You Can Make a Difference and Double Your Impact!
From August 6–16, you have a unique opportunity to double your impact and support more youth. Thanks to the generosity of the Steven Chambers Foundation, every dollar you donate during this period will be matched, up to $15,000. This means that your contribution will go twice as far in helping us combat the rising costs of food and enable us to continue to provide essential services.
Your donation will help support our kitchen team and Covey’s Cupboard, which will ensure that youth in need have access to nutritious food and the resources necessary to build a better future.
Every donation, no matter the size, will make a significant impact. Please consider donating during our Double Match Campaign and help us continue to provide vital support to those who need it most.
Thank you for your unwavering support and commitment to helping youth in need. Together, we can make a world of difference.