Mr. Speaker, poverty is on the rise. For many, their need has never been greater as we head into the holiday season. Thankfully, there are people on the ground willing to do the hard work needed to help ease the sting of poverty and to make their communities a better place to live.
People like Natalie and Dave Timeriski of Elliot Lake, who organized this year's annual fire services food drive, exemplify the true spirit of giving. Mr. Timeriski, who is also a volunteer firefighter, makes the food drive fun for the volunteers by getting them to work in teams or with their families.
But for those in need, there is little that is fun about the extra challenges at this time of year, especially those with children. In Elliot Lake, food bank use for families with children has risen 69.7% over last year's levels.
In Algoma--Manitoulin--Kapuskasing there are countless local campaigns that are raising both awareness and relief in their communities: the Express Père Noël program in Hearst; the Moonbeam Volunteer Firefighters food drive; the Kinsmen Club of Kapuskasing's Santa Claus Fund; or radio station CKAP's food drive. The Elks Lodge of Espanola raised $8,000 in one day with the help of a radiothon with Moose FM.