Although the holiday season increases the focus on food banks, these essential nonprofits have their sights set on more affordable housing as a key element in reducing year-round food bank use from peak 2010 figures.

"Every day, food banks across the country see people coming to them for help because of the high cost of housing," said Katharine Schmidt, Executive Director of Food Banks Canada, which represents organizations committed to feeding nearly 870,000 Canadians each month. "Too many people are making choices no Canadian should have to make, cutting back on the quality and amount of food they eat so that they can pay the rent—and accessing food banks to try to fill the gap.”

An October poll revealed that food banks overwhelmingly support investment in affordable housing as the most effective way to reduce hunger and food bank use in their communities. This is the third consecutive year that food banks have chosen increased investment in affordable housing as the most important step governments can take to reduce hunger and food bank use in Canada.

"Food Banks Canada [ Food Banks Canada ] strongly supports increased investment in affordable housing, guided by a pan-Canadian housing strategy, at both the federal and provincial levels of government,” said Schmidt. “This is smart policy that builds Canada's infrastructure, creates jobs, and will increase the quality of life of those who are able to benefit."

Food Banks Canada's HungerCount 2010 study reports the highest level of food bank use on record. HungerCount 2010, the only comprehensive national study of food banks and affiliated food programs, revealed that food bank use grew in every province this year: up 9.2% or 73,000 people compared to 2009, and up 28% compared to 2008. Children and youth under 18 represent 38% of those who are fed by food banks, while 7% of households helped are living on pension income.

"Coming to a food bank is not an easy decision for people," said Bill Hall, Executive Director of the Battlefords and District Food and Resource Centre, in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. "Unfortunately, there continues to be a need for help in our community, and we have expanded our efforts to meet that need—when the overall goal should be to address the causes of hunger more broadly, and to be able to reduce our services and even close our doors for good."

Prominent in the list of HungerCount recommendations on how the federal government can work to increase people's ability to be self sufficient is the need to “create a federal housing strategy to increase and monitor investment in affordable housing programs in Canada's cities, towns and rural areas.”

That’s two things for your holiday list:

1. Donate time, money and food to your local food bank which, like Toronto’s Daily Bread Food Bank, will be fighting to fill tummies and warm hearts.

2. Send your local, provincial, and federal politicians a season’s greeting that reminds them it is way past time they put housing on their agendas for the good of every community across the country in 2011.

There’s a third and equally important action you can take—find out what’s not happening in your neighbourhood and why. Is there a range of housing choices available, so that people can downsize or up-size without having to leave the area? Are there affordable alternatives across the spectrum of occupations essential to preserve your neighbourhood? How do the politicians who you elected stand and speak on the issue of local housing and a National Housing Policy?

A new book from Coach House Books [ Coach House Books ] presents “how to” suggestions and examples for kick-starting municipal action through a collection of ideas from Toronto’s engaged citizens and media. Local Motion: The Art of Civic Engagement in Toronto (ISBN 9781552452387) focuses on what works and doesn’t when trying to constructively move Toronto’s City Hall toward improvement at a local level, but there is little that could not be extrapolated to your community. Who are the leaders for civic engagement in your neighbourhood and community?

One last gift for you… The Task Force on Social Finance [ The Task Force on Social Finance ](TFSF) recently released a report outlining recommendations for financial institutions, foundations and governments to participate in building a market for impact investing in Canada: Mobilizing Private Capital for Public Good [ Mobilizing Private Capital for Public Good ].

This report suggests seven actions “that Canada needs to undertake, in parallel, to mobilize new sources of capital, create an enabling tax and regulator environment, and build a pipeline of investment-ready social enterprises.” The stated aim is to blur the line between nonprofits and business by assisting nonprofits, charities, co-operatives, and for-profits in achieving their primary social or environmental mission using business methods. Can you see opportunity for you to become engaged in this activation, either with your skills and talent, or through your investing?

Members of the TFSF, including former Prime Minister, Right Honourable Paul Martin and the CEO of Vancity Credit Union, Tamara Vrooman, have taken their responsibilities seriously in creating this report and should have the creds to see it is taken seriously by business and government, and therefore the nonprofit sectors. However, they’ll need your help for that change to reach into every neighbourhood.

Published: December 14, 2010

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Futurist and Strategist PJ Wade is "The Catalyst" - intent on "Challenging The Best to Become Even Better." PJ earned this title by translating the dynamic impact of Boomers and their multi-generation families into relevant insights that start people thinking and taking action—in business and in life. Author of 8 books and more than 1800 published articles, PJ encourages individuals to become their own futurist. PJ writes and speaks about the insight, knowledge and solid decision-making skills that professionals and their clients need to live and work in this vortex of change. For instance, since PJ knows that home is headquarters for the new decades-long "unretirement," she wrote the popular book "Reverse Mortgages: Best Friend, Worst Enemy...Your Choice!", which is filled with suggestions and cautions on protecting, building and managing home equity. Her new business book, "What's Your Point?: Cut The Crap, Hit The Mark & Stick!" will be published in 2012. As The Catalyst, PJ provides strategic communication, client appreciation and advanced education services to the financial, tourism, lifestyle and service sectors - and the clients they serve. A frequently-quoted financial and business commentator, PJ is a thought-provoking strategic speaker who offers practical, real-life suggestions on leaving "the box" behind and embracing Forward Thinking - a talent she regularly demonstrates in this column. For more on keynotes, blogs, books and information on a range of 21st-Century topics, visit TheCatalyst.com.