When new donations arrive at Good Shepherd’s Venture Centre, the shelves brim with canned and non-perishable goods, stacked high enough to look abundant.

But appearances can be deceiving.

“What keeps me up at night is inventory,” said Michael Troskot, director of the organization’s emergency food program and men’s centre. “We have a massive warehouse and it looks full, but it goes so quickly.”

Last year alone, Good Shepherd’s food bank on Cannon Street East served nearly 100,000 people, up from 73,000 in 2022. And that number is climbing fast. As of May 31, staff had already served 46,000 people in 2025, putting them on pace to reach more than 110,000 by year’s end.

The surge mirrors a troubling national trend.

Michael Troskot oversees inventory at Good Shepherd’s Venture Centre, wher

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