The Mustard Seed says soaring costs of living are affecting the services and programs it offers in both British Columbia and Alberta.

Senior Director of Food Services, Laura Giesbrecht, says the Mustard Seed has seen an increase in demand for services and meal programs in both provinces, since early April.

“We’re seeing in Kamloops around 175 meals that we’re serving a day and that doesn’t include the 22 people that are staying in our overnight shelters,” she said. “We’re not in a position where we’re turning away [but] we’re in a spot where we don’t want to get there.”

“We’re sharing our needs with the community so that we don’t have to turn away any men, women, or children who need access to our services.”

Speaking on the NL Noon Report, Giesbrecht says the need facing many of the Mustard Seed’s clients now is greater than it was at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“One in ten people in all of our cities are living in poverty and experiencing hunger and homelessness,” she said.

“Those who are on the margins for the longest time now are finding themselves in the difficult spot of having to decide whether or not they pay their power bill or they put groceries on the table. Those are the families that we’re seeing access a lot our services here and in Alberta as well.”

Giesbrecht is asking people who are able to donate to do so. She notes monetary donations work best as the Mustard Seed is able to use it to buy food at wholesale prices.

That said, she says people looking to donate food, hygiene items, or clothes can do so as well.