Food bank sees up to five new clients daily
The Daily News (Kamloops)
August 20, 2008 
By: Catherine Litt

In any other work place in any other industry, Kari Benton would be thrilled to report her customer numbers are on the rise.

But at Kamloops Food Bank, a 22-per-cent increase in clients is far from a good thing. It only means there are more people in Kamloops who are in tough times.

"I thought after a year I'd quit being shocked (about increases)," said Benton, the food bank's fundraising co-ordinator. "But we're busy. It's probably the only business I've worked at where I wished business wasn't so good."

This summer has been particularly difficult for the food bank, which is seeing between three and five new clients a day.

The year-to-date numbers are up 22 per cent, meaning the food bank is serving more than 1,750 people right now.

Benton said the charity isn't sure exactly what's causing the increase. It's most likely a combination of societal factors involving the cost of living in Kamloops.

"Rent being so high, you know, if people are already on a tight budget and with gas costs going up, all of a sudden that extra $40 -- that could have been their food money," said Benton.

"For a lot of people on a fixed income with kids, now they've got two months of child-care costs (because school is on summer break). They're paying for a sitter, someone to take care of their kids during the day when they're working."

So they are having to turn to the food bank for help, said Benton. But the situation isn't just happening in Kamloops. Bigger centres such as Vancouver are also facing their own pressures…