Hunger Action Month is here, and we’re raising awareness about the impact hunger and poverty have on the 1 million people that need to turn to a food bank for help. Many people in Ontario are facing impossible choices each day, like whether to pay rent or utilities or put food on the table, decisions that no one should be forced to make.
Those who have never visited a food bank may not realize that hunger isn’t caused by individual choices, it’s caused by insufficient income for today’s cost of living and inadequate support systems that don’t provide enough help.
That’s why we developed Fork in The Road, an online interactive tool to help show the difficult choices many people are confronting right now in the province. By trying the tool, we hope that users will be able to learn not only about these realities, but the wider causes of hunger and poverty.
The experience allows you to select one of four fictional profiles that highlight some of the most common demographics of people who have to turn to a food bank: Dan, a single working dad, Bessy, a senior who immigrated to Canada 35 years ago, Angela, a woman with disabilities who relies on Ontario Works, and Charlie who lives in Northern Ontario and can’t work because of his disabilities.
Fork in The Road lets users to spend time in someone else’s shoes as they choose which bills they can afford to pay, if it’s possible to buy healthy groceries, and what, if any, little pleasures may be in the budget. Ultimately, when all other options run out, users must choose whether to skip meals or visit a food bank.
We created Fork in the Road based on our real-time data about food bank visitors and our research on what’s driving food bank use in Ontario. Our data shows that 1 in 4 food bank visitors has a job, and over half rely on social assistance programs like Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Benefit to get by. This information also reveals the biggest drivers of food bank use in the province: incomes not keeping pace with the cost of living, caused by insufficient social support programs, a rise in precarious work, and skyrocketing housing costs.
As Fork in the Road reflects, people will often only turn to food banks as a last resort, and going into and falling deeper into debt, finding a more affordable place to live, and even buying less groceries are all drastic steps those facing food insecurity will often take before accessing a food bank.
After creating the tool in 2023, we’ve used Fork in The Road to train volunteers at food banks in our network, to engage donors, and even in school classroom visits with kids.
Food bank use in Ontario continue to rise, and we believe that everyone can get involved to make a difference. As more people fall into poverty and it becomes even more visible in our province, it’s essential that we understand how it affects our neighbours. During Hunger Action Month, and beyond, we encourage everyone in the province to try Fork in The Road and join us as we call for change.
Ultimately, though Fork in The Road illustrates a painful reality, by working together we can build a future where no one has to worry about where their next meal is coming from and all our communities can thrive.
A version of this story previously appeared in Principal Connections Magazine.