Spring into Action: Why Food Banks Need Us Now More Than Ever

 As the snow melts and the first hints of green appear, our thoughts naturally turn to renewal. We clean our homes, open our windows, and shake off the heaviness of winter. But for thousands of families in our community, spring brings something else entirely: the quiet desperation of empty cupboards.

Here's a truth that might surprise you. Demand at food banks does not drop when the weather warms. In many cases, it rises.

Why Spring Is a Critical Time

Winter gets the attention. Winter has holidays, the Giving Tuesday campaigns, and the food drives at schools and churches. People remember the hungry when it's cold.

But spring? Spring is when those donations run out. Spring is when the holiday generosity has been spent, when the canned goods collected in December are long gone, when families who struggled through winter are still struggling, only now with less attention and fewer resources.

Add to that the rising cost of living, inflation that refuses to quit, and housing costs that consume ever-larger portions of already tight budgets. For too many of our neighbours, the choice is not between brands at the grocery store. It is between paying the hydro bill and buying food.

What Food Banks Are Seeing Right Now

Across the country, food bank usage has reached record highs. The people walking through the doors are not who you might expect. They are seniors whose pensions no longer stretch far enough. They are working families whose paychecks disappear into rent. They are neighbours who never imagined they would need this kind of help.

And the food banks themselves? They are stretched thin. Every can donated, every dollar given, is immediately put to use. There is no warehouse of surplus waiting in the wings. What comes in goes out, often within days.

How You Can Help

The good news is that helping is straightforward. You don't need to organize a gala or recruit a team of volunteers (though both are wonderful if you're so inclined). You can make a difference right now, today, with minimal effort.

The Most Effective Way: Cash Donations

If you can give money, cash is by far the most powerful way to help. Here's why:

Food banks have buying power that individuals do not. They purchase in bulk. They have relationships with suppliers. They can often get three or four times the value of your dollar compared to what you could buy at retail prices.

A $20 bill in your pocket buys one small bag of groceries at the store. A $20 donation to the food bank can buy enough to feed a family for several days.

Cash also allows food banks to purchase exactly what is needed at the moment, rather than managing an unpredictable flow of donated items. They can buy fresh produce, dairy, and protein, things that are rarely donated but desperately needed.

The Traditional Way: Food Donations

If you prefer to donate food, and many do because it feels tangible and direct, here is what food banks need most right now:

High-demand items:

• Canned meats (chicken, ham, stew)
• Canned tuna and salmon
• Canned fruit (packed in juice, not syrup)
• Rice (in bags, not bulk)
• Peanut butter (a protein powerhouse)
• Canned vegetables (low sodium if possible)
• Whole grain pasta
• Hearty soups and stews
• Shelf-stable milk
• Baby formula and baby food

A note on what not to donate: Please check expiration dates. Food banks cannot use expired products, and disposing of them costs time and money they don't have. Also, avoid glass containers, when possible, as they can break in transit.

The Community Way: Organize a Drive

Spring is an excellent time for neighbourhood food drives. Consider:

• A block collection: Leave a bag on your neighbours' doors with a note explaining what you're collecting and when you'll return to pick it up.
• A workplace challenge: If you're still going into an office, see if colleagues will compete to see who can bring in the most donations.
• A social media ask: A simple post to your networks can yield surprising results. People want to help. Sometimes they just need someone to ask.

What Your Neighbours Might Be Facing

It helps to remember who we're helping. The single mother working two jobs who still can't quite make ends meet. The senior who chooses between medication and meals. The family who just moved here with nothing but hope and need a hand getting started.

These are not abstract statistics. They are people who live on your street, shop at your grocery store, maybe even sit near you at community events. They are us, just in a harder season.

A Small Story

I think about a woman I met through the Wilson Centre last year. She was in her seventies, a retired nurse who had spent her life caring for others. Now she found herself at the food bank for the first time, ashamed and uncertain.

What got her through the door? A neighbour who mentioned she was dropping off a donation asked if the woman wanted to come along. That simple invitation, which normalized the act, made all the difference.

She got the food she needed. But more than that, she got the reminder that she was still part of a community that cared about her.

The Ripple Effect

Here's something beautiful about helping food banks. The impact doesn't stop at the person who receives the food.

When a family has enough to eat, children do better in school. When seniors aren't choosing between food and medicine, their health stabilizes, reducing strain on our healthcare system. When working parents can stretch their paychecks, they can stay in their jobs and their homes.

Food bank support is not charity in the old sense. It is community stability. It is economic participation. It is the quiet work of making sure no one in our city falls through the cracks.

A Practical Challenge

So, here is my invitation to you this spring.

This week, take one action. Just one.

• Buy an extra can of tuna or two bags of rice next time you're at the store and drop them in a collection bin.
• Write a cheque or donate online to your local food bank.
• Organize a small collection among your neighbours or friends.
• If you're part of a faith community or service club, ask what they're doing to support local food security.

It doesn't have to be huge. It doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to be something.

Where to Donate in Port Coquitlam

If you're in our community and wondering where to direct your support, here are some trusted options:

• SHARE Food Bank (serving Tri-Cities): 2615 Clarke Street, Port Coquitlam
• St. Vincent de Paul at local parishes

Cash donations can often be made online through organization websites, making it even easier to help. If you are not in our community, do a quick Internet Search for local Food Bank drop off and you should find a trusted source.

A Final Thought

Spring is about new growth, about life returning after the long dark. Let it also be about our better selves returning, about remembering that we are all in this together, and that a community is only as strong as its most vulnerable members.

The food banks need us. The families need us. And the beautiful thing is, we need them too. We need the chance to give, to connect, to be part of something larger than ourselves.

So, this spring, let's show up. Let's fill those shelves. Let's make sure no one in our community goes hungry.

Because that's what neighbours do.

 

Mental Health in Older Adulthood: How Senior Associations Can Make a Difference

 A few mornings ago, I sat having coffee with a couple of Wilson Centre board members. We were discussing our caregiver program when the conversation turned, as it often does with people who've lived deeply, to cognitive decline and mental health.

The two individuals leading that discussion had both lost spouses to dementia. They spoke quietly at first, then with increasing passion. "More needs to be done," they said. "So many are struggling alone."

They're right. And the research backs them up.

The Reality of Mental Health in Older Adults

Mental health in older adulthood is not a luxury. It is a critical component of overall wellness, yet it remains widely misunderstood and under-addressed.

Approximately 14–15% of adults aged 60 and older live with a mental disorder. The most common conditions are depression, anxiety, and dementia. Roughly one in four adults over 65 will experience a mental health problem, often connected to physical decline, chronic illness, or the accumulated weight of loss.

Here's what's important to understand: mental health conditions are not a normal part of aging. Just as we wouldn't accept unmanaged physical pain, we should not accept unmanaged emotional suffering. The brain changes with age; it naturally shrinks and slows, but that does not mean severe mental illness is inevitable. It does, however, mean older adults may be more vulnerable.

Warning Signs We Cannot Ignore

Those of us who work with seniors or love an older person need to know what to watch for:

• Persistent sadness that doesn't lift
• Loss of interest in hobbies or activities once enjoyed
• Irritability or uncharacteristic mood swings
• Confusion that seems new or worsening
• Withdrawal from social connections, family, or community life

These are not "just getting old." They are signals that something needs attention.

Risk Factors That Amplify Vulnerability

Social isolation is perhaps the greatest threat to an older adult's mental health. Loneliness, unstable living conditions, poverty, and the loss of loved ones all increase the risk for depression and anxiety.

When someone loses a spouse of fifty years, they don't just lose a partner. They lose their witness, their history, their daily rhythm. That grief, left unaddressed, can become something deeper and more debilitating.

How Senior Associations Can Help

This is where organizations like the Wilson Seniors Advisory Association become essential. We are not doctors. We do not prescribe medication. But we are often the first line of defence against the isolation and disconnection that fuel mental health decline.

Here's what senior associations can do, and what many are already doing:

1. Create Natural Points of Connection

The simple act of showing up somewhere matters. Coffee mornings. Card games. Exercise classes. These are not just activities; they are reasons to get dressed, to leave the house, to be seen by others who notice when you're not there.

The Wilson Centre model: Our volunteers are trained to notice empty chairs. When someone stops coming, we don't file a report. We make a phone call. That call has brought people back from the edge more times than we can count.

2. Offer Peer Support That Understands

There is something irreplaceable about talking to someone who has walked the same path. Seniors supporting seniors, through friendly visitor programs, telephone check-ins, or simply sharing a table, creates a kind of trust that professional services cannot always replicate.

Practical step: Train volunteers to recognize warning signs and to listen without judgment. Sometimes the greatest gift is someone who simply says, "I've been there too."

3. Provide Caregiver Support

The Wilson Board members who lost spouses to dementia knew this intimately. Caregivers are at extremely high risk for depression, anxiety, and burnout. Supporting them is supporting the mental health of the person they care for.

What works: Caregiver support groups, respite programs, educational sessions on what to expect, and simply acknowledging that caregiving is hard and they are not failing.

4. Become a Bridge to Professional Help

Senior associations are not therapy providers, but we can be the trusted voice that says, "It might help to talk to someone." We can provide information about where to find geriatric counselling, how to access primary care, and what resources exist in the community.

The 988 Lifeline: If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in Canada, or call 911 . This is not something to handle alone.

5. Fight Isolation Through Intentional Programming

Loneliness is a public health crisis. Senior associations combat it by design, through adult day programs, social events, learning opportunities, and volunteer roles that give seniors a sense of purpose.

The key: Not just offering activities, but ensuring they are accessible, affordable, and welcoming to those who might be hesitant to walk through the door.

What the Research Tells Us

The numbers are clear. Depression in older adults is treatable. Anxiety can be managed. Cognitive decline, while serious, does not have to mean the end of meaningful connection.

But treatment requires someone to notice, someone to care, and someone to help take the first step.

That is where we come in.

The two board members I sat with that morning, the ones who lost spouses to dementia, weren't asking for sympathy. They were asking for action. They wanted the Wilson Centre to do more, to reach further, to ensure that no one walks through that darkness alone.

That is what senior associations are for. Not to replace doctors or therapists, but to be the community that notices, the voice that checks in, the place that welcomes.

If you are reading this and you work with or love an older adult, here is your invitation: pay attention to the empty chairs. Make the phone call. Offer the coffee and the conversation.

It might just save a life.

If you or someone you know needs support, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in Canada, or call 911.

Peace of Mind: A Caregiver's Guide to Contingency Planning

 Thanks to Ken for this post.

Let's be honest with one another. If you're a caregiver, the last thing you have time for is more planning. You're already juggling appointments, medications, emotions, and your own life—which probably feels like it's running on fumes. The thought of sitting down to plan for the "what ifs" can feel overwhelming, even impossible.

But here's what I've learned from talking with caregivers who've been through emergencies: a little planning now saves a mountain of heartache later.

Whether you're worried about who would step in if you got sick, what documents you need to have in order, or how to make sure your loved one's care continues seamlessly when you can't be there, you don't have to figure this out alone.

Introducing the "Peace of Mind" Flipbook

The "Peace of Mind: A Caregiver's Guide to Contingency Planning" flipbook was created specifically for caregivers who want to prepare for the unexpected without adding stress to their already full plates.

This resource is designed to be practical, clear, and actually useful, not another dense manual that sits on a shelf.

The flipbook is divided into two simple parts:

Part One: What You Need to Know

This section walks you through the key steps of contingency planning, including:

• How to organize your planning process without feeling overwhelmed
• How to identify and prepare backup caregivers you can trust
• What to include in a comprehensive care plan
• The legal and financial documents every caregiver should have in place

Part Two: Your Personalized Worksheet

This fillable section lets you create your own contingency plan step by step. By the time you're done, you'll have a clear, written plan that ensures your loved one's care continues no matter what unexpected challenges arise.

Why This Matters

Emergencies don't send warning letters. They show up without knocking. Having a plan in place doesn't just protect your loved one—it protects you too. It means less panic, fewer impossible decisions made in crisis mode, and the quiet confidence that comes from being prepared.

You've spent so long caring for someone else. Let this be a way of caring for yourself too.

Download the flipbook file by clicking here: [Link]  (This will download the PDF file to your device.)

Because peace of mind isn't a luxury. It's something every caregiver deserves.

 

FIVE HELPFUL RESOURCES – FRAUD PREVENTION

 FIVE HELPFUL RESOURCES – FRAUD PREVENTION

1.     Seniors Fraud Prevention Toolkit – The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) collects and provides information on fraud and scams affecting Canadians. CAFC compiled a toolkit specifically designed for senior Canadians (60+) to raise public awareness and prevent victimization. It contains information about the most common scams and strategies to keep safe.

 https://cnpea.ca/images/seniors_toolkit_-_en.pdf

1.     Scams to Avoid – People’s Law School is a leader in British Columbia for public education on legal matters. This publication covers 15 of the most common scams and helps readers to spot and guard against scams that try to trick you out of your money.

https://www.peopleslawschool.ca/publications/scams-avoid

1.     The Fraudster’s Playbook – The Alberta Securities Commission promotes investing as part of a healthy financial future, but have you ever been offered an investment ‘opportunity’ that you weren’t sure about? Check out their resource that can help you identify and avoid the 7 steps scam artists take and protect your hard-earned money.

 

https://checkfirst.ca/resources/fraudsters-playbook

1.     Frauds & Scam Prevention – The Dementia Society of Ottawa hosted and recorded this presentation with Mary Shkoury from Elderly Abuse Prevention Ontario. Explains the tactics used by scammers to take advantage of older adults. Case examples illustrate the types of scams prevalent in Canada and how seniors can know the signs and safeguard their savings.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iFzn8OI6ds

1.     8 Simple Things You Can Do To Protect Yourself From Getting Scammed – NPR Radio has a number of podcasts on fraud prevention for listening on your next walk or exercise session. While some of the references are American, the interviews are engaging and offer helpful advice on how to spot the red flags and proactively protect yourself.

 https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1196978201

1.     And One More Helpful Resource: The Little Black Book of Scams from the Competition Bureau of Canada.

 The Little Black Book of Scams 2nd edition