Approximately 4.7 million people. That is the number of Canadians who are estimated to live in a state of food insecurity, meaning they do not have access to a stable source of adequate, safe and nutritious food. It is the reason that food banks are so important as around 850,000 people access them for help throughout the year, one-third of them children or youth. It also means less than one-quarter of those who need are receiving help. Closer to home, the Cochrane Activettes through its annual Share Your Christmas campaign, assists hundreds of families every year put food on the table over the holidays and provide gifts to children who might otherwise go with out. Since 2008, as Alberta has struggled with first the financial downturn and then the energy crisis that continues into today, food bank usage has been steadily on the rise. In 2016, it was estimated some 77,000 Albertans were seeking help from the food bank, a 136 per cent increase over an eight-year period. Only seven per cent of those accessing food bank services have no income at all, while 63 per cent receive some sort of income assistance. The remaining are pensioners or the "working poor." Recent statistics also show that one in six – 170,000 – Alberta children live in poverty – an increase of 23 per cent since 2006. The rising cost of groceries, increased fuel costs due to the Carbon Tax and rising retail prices to compensate for the latter and increased minimum wage have all resulted in a decrease in affordability in Alberta. Fortunately, despite the concerns over those costs, Cochrane continues to have some of the most generous people in Alberta and hopefully that translates into enough donations this year to the Cochrane Activettes to meet the need. If you have been considering donating there are ample ways to do so. This weekend Cochranites are invited to help the Cochrane and Area Events Society, Canadian Tire and Southland Transportation Stuff-a-Bus. Bring toys, food or cash or all of the above to the Canadian Tire parking lot between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Dec. 15 and literally stuff a bus full of everything to help make a needy family's Christmas a little bit brighter. If you can't make it to that event, there is also the Holiday Train on Thursday, Dec. 13 from 2:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. or drop donations off at any grocery store in town. It's the season for giving and a little help can go a very long way.
