Bouffe Pontiac sees significant increase in need, gears up for annual food drive

Bouffe Pontiac sees significant increase in need, gears up for annual food drive

As its largest annual fundraiser approaches on December 5, local food bank Bouffe Pontiac is dealing with a heavier demand and larger expenses than in years previous.

Bouffe’s Director Kim Laroche explained that while demand was a tricky thing to quantify, the amount of clients that they serve had spiked in the last few years, from an average of about 400-500 in 2019 to roughly 718 last year. She said that unlike in the past, they were increasingly serving minimum-wage workers who were overwhelmed by the increased cost of housing and essentials.

Laroche explained that their annual budget for food purchases had exploded from roughly $43,000 in 2020 to $128,000 in 2023. She pointed out that they spend a larger proportion of their budget on food items than other regional food banks because in a rural community they have less big-box stores to supply them with donations.

Laroche also gave the some details about their annual guignolée, or food drive, which will take place at major intersections throughout the region on December 5 from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. The proceeds will go towards the roughly 280 Christmas hampers that they will be distributing before the holidays.