Why are one-third of non-profit workers food insecure?

As inflation rises and wages stay stagnant, more non-profit workers are turning to the very organizations they serve to help make ends meet.

Why It Matters

There is an urgent need for better funding models in the social sector that prioritize living wages and sustainability.

Four years ago, 85 per cent of workers at the non-profit Red Deer Food Bank were not making a living wage.

It was a concerning stat for newly hired Executive Director Mitch Thomson, who knew that to retain employees, that needed to change.

“In our space specifically, I can find money for capital projects every day of the week, but I do not find monies that support operations nearly to the same degree,” said Thomson.

The funding constraint is a frustration many Canadian non-profits share, who often must choose capital projects over paying fair wages, said Thomson.

A shocking 34 per cent of community non-profit workers report being food insecure, according to new data from Future of Good’s Changemaker Wellbeing Index. 

This means in some cases, very workers

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