Sudbury Food Bank struggles with rising food costs

High food prices mean there's less on the shelves at the food bank this Christmas.

Statistics Canada data showsthe cost of grocerieswent up from five to 10 per cent in 2011. That means $20 doesn't buy two bags of donations, it only buys one-and-a-half.

Daniel Xilon, the administrator at the Sudbury Food Bank, said the high prices also impact how far the organization can stretch cash donations.

"We used to get about $7.50 to $8 [per] dollar for food now were down to about $4.50 and $5," Xilon said.

"So every donated dollar will supply us with $4 to $5 possibly $6 dollars depending on the deals out there [on] food."

Xilon noted the Sudbury Food Bank hasn't had to reduce any of its services yet, but he said cuts could be on the table in 2012, depending on how the current food drive turns out.

The Sudbury Food Bank feeds about 14,000 people every year. Xilon said hes very proud of the work his volunteers do and the support they get from the community. Christmas is always the busiest season for donations.

But high food prices are putting a damper on the amount of food coming in.

"The donations are a lot lower than they normally would be because people have a set price in their mind, like I'm going to donate $20 to the foodbank," he said. "[But] $20 may have bought two bags of groceries last year, now it's only going to supply [one] bag."