In August the Wood Buffalo Food Bank made organization history, however the history was made because of record numbers of people facing hunger. The food bank handed out 422 food baskets in August pf this year, and that is more than any other previous month. Arianna Johnson, the executive director of the Wood Buffalo Food Bank, told the media that “We’ve never broken 400, eve. So it was a fairly staggering, humbling month.” Johnson also discussed the fact that the numbers for the entire year of 2015 have been high, with an increase in demand. The executive director talked about the fact that many in the community have been laid off due to the downturn in the oil industry. These unemployed workers have probably already used up savings and now need help just to have sufficient food each month.

The demand for food help in the area served by the Wood Buffalo Food Bank shows just how pervasive hunger can be. The recent economic downturn has resulted in more people needing help than ever before. Johnson explained that approximately 15 individuals who used to donate to the food bank can no longer do so, and these people have now had to ask for food assistance themselves. “Significant individual donors, who donate annually, (have become) people who are now using our services, which is kind of scary.” When asked if the agency had plans to decrease the amount of food in each basket Johnson explained “Certainly it’s not something we want to do. But it’s better that everyone get something than some people getting nothing.”