Homeless people aren't the only ones who are hungry in this province.
The working poor are also finding it increasingly hard to make ends meet and put food on the table, and the number of people needing help from Metro Vancouver food banks is skyrocketing.
Things were better only a couple of months ago.
One food band user is thankful to finally have groceries to take away.
"Well, before we knew about the food bank, we wouldn't eat," said Beth Sullivan.
Her husband Terry had a well-paying job in Whistler, but when the economy went into a tail-spin, he was laid-off.
Their four-month-old son Levy never went without, but mom and dad did.
"Our fridge is always empty, and all our cupboards," said Sullivan.
The face of hunger is changing: construction workers, professionals, and bosses. People who have never needed help are turning-up.
The Friends in Need Food Bank in Maple Ridge now has almost 6,000 clients registered, with 1,700 being children under the age of 12.
"I don't think we've seen these numbers before," said Tiffany Parton, executive director of the food bank.
"Yeah, people are hurting right now. We have a lot of people coming in who have lost their jobs after 10 to 20 years," said Parton.
In Maple Ridge, employment insurance claims are up 68 per cent, the highest in the region.
Seniors have been hit the hardest.
But donations are down across the board. If you would like more information for the food bank in each of the following regions, please click on the name:
Remember: officials say giving just a little makes a huge difference.
With a report by CTV British Columbia's St. John Alexander
