'People can't keep donating': Finding new ways to fight food insecurity

The London Food Bank put the focus on innovation as they kicked off its 37th annual Spring Food Drive.

London and District Construction Association (LDCA) CEO Mike Carter helped demonstrate a pilot project for what has been called Farm-in-a-Box.

It will use large shipping container that will be modified to grow food.

“Imagine a sea-can, 40-foot long, that is eight rows tall producing sprouts on a continuous basis,” Carter said as he pointed into a controlled environment unit filled with greens identified as ‘super foods.’

The association is donating two containers that will be part of a five-container set. One will house the infrastructure to support the crops and the others will grow various crop types.

Carter said, based on the plant type, they will have varying levels of productivity, but the year-round operation means more growing time than traditional farming and will produce plenty of food, "Five crops a year, 18 crops a year. It's just a highly productive concept.”

A pilot project is building towards growing crops in shipping containers modified to provide a controlled environment seen on March 21, 2024. (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)

Carter said the LDCA was increasing food bank donations every year, but because of inflation, those larger donations weren't helping more people.

He believes the Farm-in-a-Box trial will lead to more people getting more fresh food, “You can actually grow it all your own. It's very nutritious food. It seemed to be about the best way forward for us as an association."

He said that because the food is locally grown it’s always just minutes away from someone’s doorstep.

On another front, the London Food Bank, working with the Middlesex-London Health Unit, is enhancing partnerships with agencies that deal directly with those experiencing poverty and other social issues.

More monetary donations were given during the pandemic and that practice has continued. That has opened the door to a new approach for the food bank.

According to Food Bank Co-Executive Director Jane Roy, "We'll be giving money, but as food. So, in essence, we'll be paying food bills over a number of different agencies."

London Food Bank Co-Executive Director Jane Roy, seen on March 21, 2024, said more cash donations has changed the approach to addressing food insecurity. (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)

The food bank will provide $2.8 million over three years to be distributed through about 40 agencies.

Darryl Reckman is with Sanctuary London, "One good meal once in a while is great but people need to eat every day at a healthy level to be able to even start thinking about taking the next steps for housing, for employment, for all kinds of things."

While the food bank continues to try to innovate, they believe governments at all levels could do more to coordinate and support initiatives to battle food insecurity.

“People can't keep donating. The price of groceries is so high. Rent is so high,” Co-Executive Director Glen Pearson told CTV News. “You need good polices and that way we wouldn't need so many agencies that are so desperate and really needing help."

During the Spring Food Drive, the food bank will still accept traditional food donations with donation bags available at grocery stores. The drive goes from Good Friday until April 1.