Charity volunteers are seeing an increase in their services as more people are struggling economically.

“I would say a 35% increase from pre-COVID to right now,” estimates Manager of Soups On Joy Neufeld.

The 17-year-old charity, founded by Neufeld, has both supper programs and a school lunch program for children. “We are upwards of 110 guests a night that come up and pick up a supper,” says Neufeld of their Tuesday supper program.

Neufeld says when families are teetering between just making it or not, the time spent either waiting for a test or staying home with a sick child, can be the difference for them.

The process for feeding the needy has not changed much since COVID-19 hit back in March, with meals placed in to-go containers and a separate entrance and exit for one family at a time to access.

“They pick up their supper two table-widths between them and the volunteers,” says Neufeld. “Everyone wears masks, and if they’re uncomfortable wearing a mask, we bring their supper out to them in a bag, but anybody these days, if they’re coming inside, we are all wearing masks.”

In addition, Neufeld says the volunteers all use sanitizer and wear masks when preparing the lunches for the school program the feeds impoverished children.

“On the school lunch needs, that’s an increase probably very similar, if not a tiny bit more,” says Neufeld comparing it to the supper program, “again, same reason, COVID has hurt the people that are living in poverty.”