Meals on Wheels program in Kugluktuk, Nunavut, provides much-needed help and fills bellies

Food is expensive in the remoteNunavut community of Kugluktuk.

The hamlet located on the shores of the Arctic Oceanis also facing high unemployment, and many people are struggling to put food on the table.

As a single mom to four kids, Megan Klengenberg knows that struggle.

"People in town have a hard time because of the rising costs of food. Even the fresh fruit are very expensive," she said. "I myself have hard times sometimes, and I didn't know where to reach out."

But she made it through, learning how to efficiently stretch her money in a grocery store. When she realized you could feed hundreds of people with some big pots of stew, she decided toorganizea new Meals on Wheels program withfunding fromKitikmeot Inuit Association andKugluktuk Heritage Committee.

Help needed

"There's help out there. You can reach out," she said. "It may seem like people can't help ... but there people out there that care that want to ...make life a little bit better."

Every weekend, she and team of volunteers make meals for roughly 200 people. She has a list of people to help that came from the "top of her head," but anyone is free to message her for a meal.

"I just wanted to bring a little bit of joy, and some people in town have been strugglingputtingfoodon the table," she said."I just felt Meals on Wheels once a week would brighten their day and allow them to go to sleep with a full belly."

Anew report by Food Banks Canada which looked at all three territories says 18 per cent of Canadians are facing uncertainty about where their next meals are coming from.

In Nunavut, the situation is particularly acute. About half of the population experiences food insecurity, according to Food Banks Canada.

The territory got an F ratingwhen it came to poverty measures, with the reportstatingit was theonly territory to get a failing grade in thatcategory.