Table shares its numbers as the current economy causing huge jumps in visits

While the majority of Canadians are feeling the crunch of the economic conditions and a ridiculous cost of living jump in such a short time, there are those who feel it more than others.

Slightly over eight percent of Huntsville’s year-round population (based on available numbers) was served by the Table Soup Kitchen Foundation in 2023 – in one way or another.

And the number of people using the food bank has seen big jumps over the past few years.

In 2023, the Table had 9,667 guest visits (1,696 individual adults and 753 individual children). Of those guests, 70 percent call Huntsville home while 30 percent come from 31 surrounding areas.

Those numbers are up from the 6,735 guest visits in 2022 (1430 adults and 657 children) and a huge increase over 2021’s 5,778 visits from 818 adults and 345 children.

Last year, the Table served 7,800 meals at the food bank and another 9,598 meals at the soup kitchen.

They also gave out 249 food baskets per week in 2023, and saw 30 guests say at the hostel with an average stay of 110 nights per person (2003 total guest nights for 2023).

With the usage of their services growing significantly year over year, the Table team needs both financial help from sponsors and donors as well as boots to the ground volunteers to give a hand up to their guests.

For more information on the Table, including how to help with donations and volunteering, visit The Table Soup Food Kitchen Foundation.