As cooler weather settles in and families adjust to the return of the school year, local organizations say more Calgarians are struggling to make ends meet, with food insecurity and financial pressures continuing to rise.
The Women in Need Society (WINS) says demand for its services has more than doubled compared with last year, as more people seek help navigating rising everyday costs.
“We have a massive problem in our city. The need for our services at WINS has more than doubled over last year, and people really need help and support,” said Karen Ramchuk, president and CEO of WINS.
According to the organization, many women seeking support face increasingly complex challenges as they try to balance the costs of food, housing, and unexpected expenses. The situation is particularly difficult for families with children.
WINS says half of Calgary’s single mothers are experiencing food insecurity at a time when having a job is not always enough to cover the costs of raising a family.
“They still need help with transportation so they can get to that job. They might have secured a job, but sometimes an unexpected shift in the work schedule means they can no longer make daycare payments,” Ramchuk said.
The trend is reflected in research from Vibrant Communities Calgary, which shows the proportion of working poor in Calgary more than doubled in the years following the pandemic.
“Earning a wage right now might not be enough actually to get by, to actually meet your basic needs,” said Michelle James, director of policy with Vibrant Communities Calgary.
With Thanksgiving approaching, WINS is encouraging Calgarians to consider the challenges many of their neighbours are facing and the growing need for community support.
“There’s so much going on in the world and in the city and in our province that we have a fear at WINS that people are gonna forget how much people need help right now,” said Peggy Mocarquer, community impact director.
The organization says seasonal changes often bring shifting needs for the people it serves.
“As the change in weather comes, we see the needs also changing,” Mocarquer said.