Meet FIES: The United Nations Food Insecurity Experience Scale. It’s a global tool that measures households’ food security experience – whether they can consistently access enough healthy food. At Food for Life, we believe that not having enough money for food is a big issue. Food charities, such as Food for Life, play a massive role in helping people become food secure, but without income support, households continue to need our services to ensure that they have enough to eat each week.

Our goal at Food for Life is to make a significant positive change in the lives of those we serve, and FIES data helps us do that. It shows us how food connects to other important parts of life, like having a home, managing money, and staying healthy. When families don’t have to worry about food, they can focus on other things that make life better.

Food programs that save money on groceries leave more money for other essential things. Neighbours who attend our markets receive approximately $140 per week of food thanks to the program – that’s $560 per month, offsetting what they have to spend on food. This offset allows people to pay bills, purchase additional groceries, cover other needs at home and medical expenses and/or enroll their kids in sports and activities.

When families can’t afford enough food, it’s often a sign that they’re struggling with other basic needs, like a safe home and necessary medicine. This kind of hardship hurts health. It makes people sick and costs a lot for healthcare. By helping families move along the Food Insecurity Experience Scale, we’re not only improving their food situation but also helping them stay healthier and saving money for the healthcare system.