09/02/2026
A message from the Food Bank Board Chair:
Food Insecurity in Renfrew County
The Renfrew County District Health Unit recently published a report Monitoring Food Affordability in Renfrew County and District 2025. It reports that 31 percent of households in Renfrew County cannot afford enough safe and nutritious food due to financial constraints.
In 2025, the Deep River and Area Food Bank (DRAFB) helped 192 households in our catchment area, from Chalk River to Swisha. That means that we are serving only 6 percent of the approximately 3327 households in our area. That is a far cry from 31 percent. Probably, as we have suspected for some time, many local households who are struggling financially seem reluctant to seek help from the food bank.
They should not be! DRAFB is very well supported by our local community, with donations of both money and non-perishable foods. Local groups run food drives on our behalf year-round. Gardeners bring us fresh produce from their vegetable patches. Loyal donors send cheques year-round. People would respond with more, should we plea for additional support.
The food bank would be happy to help more households. Anyone in our catchment area is welcome to come to us for help, either monthly or only when they feel that money is tighter than usual. A new client is not taking away food from someone who “might need it more”. If a household is struggling, we can help.
As the RCDHU’s report points out, the real problem is inadequate income rather than the cost of food itself. While inadequate income is a larger societal problem, food banks are a stop gap to help those households struggling right now.
The Deep River and Area Food Bank is located at the east end of Deep River and District Health (the hospital). We are open Mondays from 10 am to 1 pm. Phone 613-584-3333, Ext 7910. If we are not there, please leave a message and we will return your call.
Cheryl Rhodes
DRAFB Chair
