Food Banks and the Welfare Crisis

Book excerpt: This document discusses the rise of the food banks, the collapse of thesocial safety net, the view that voluntarism is the way ahead and optionsfor social security in Canada beyond the limits of today's public safetynet. Research was conducted by interviews with directors of the largerfood banks, representatives of participating churches and non-governmentorganizations, social welfare academics, government officials, members oflabour organizations and political parties, members of anti-povertyorganizations. A literature search of both U.S. and Canadian sources, publicmeetings, conferences, and national radio and television programmes wascarried out. An extensive bibliography is included.