The front line workers of soup kitchens and food banks who try to keep Saint John famillies fed know part of the problem is low social assistance rates.
Randy Hatfield of the Human Development Council tells CHSJ News says most provinces including ours link poverty reduction with getting people jobs but that doesn't work for everyone.
He says we can forget that of the people that receive social assistance in the province, nearly one quarter of them are medically unable to work.
Hatfield says one bright spot are the food purchasing programs in the City where people contribute money early in the month and the food is bought in bulk at the end providing nutritious options for the recipients and making the money go farther.
