When Claude Rochon answers the phone at the Cochrane Food Bank, his warm greeting masks the growing pressure he faces every day. Last month, he served 392 families – nearly double the number from two years ago.
“We’re seeing new faces every week,” says Rochon, the food bank’s manager. “People working full-time jobs who still can’t make ends meet.”
What Rochon didn’t expect was national recognition for his efforts. Last week, Food Banks Canada honored him with their Community Impact Award, celebrating his innovative approach to hunger relief in this northern Ontario town of 5,000.
The humble 62-year-old was genuinely surprised by the honor. “I just do what needs doing,” he told me when I visited the food bank’s modest headquarters on 6th Street. “There are people all across Canada doing this same work every day.”
But what sets Rochon’s operation apart is his community-centered approach. Under his leadership, the Cochrane Food Bank has transformed from a traditional emergency food provider into a hub for addressing poverty’s root causes.
“Claude doesn’t just hand out food hampers,” explains Mayor Peter Politis. “He’s created partnerships with local farmers, schools, and businesses that have changed how our community thinks about food security.”
These partnerships include the “Plant a Row, Share a Row” program where local gardeners donate fresh produce, and a weekly cooking class that teaches budget-friendly meal preparation using food bank ingredients.
Statistics Canada data shows food bank usage across northern Ontario has increased 34% since 2019, with rural communities like Cochrane particularly affected by inflation and transportation costs.
Provincial data from Feed Ontario indicates nearly 40% of food bank users now come from households where at least one person is employed – evidence of the growing “working poor” phenomenon.
“A family of four needs to spend about $1,200 monthly on groceries in Cochrane,” explains Dr. Valerie Tarasuk, professor at the University of Toronto and principal investigator for PROOF, a food insecurity research program. “That’s simply impossible for many households, especially with housing costs rising.”
At the food bank, volunteer Jeannette Boucher sorts donations while reflecting on the changing face of hunger. “We’re seeing teachers, healthcare workers, young families – people you’d never expect,” she says, placing cans of soup on a shelf.
Behind the food bank, Rochon shows me the community garden he established three years ago. What began as six raised beds has expanded to twenty, producing over 800 pounds of vegetables last summer.
“Growing your own food connects you to what you eat,” he explains, kneeling to check seedlings in the greenhouse built by local high school students. “And it stretches our resources further.”
The Food Banks Canada award includes a $10,000 grant, which Rochon already has plans for. “We’re expanding our backpack program,” he says, referring to an initiative that discreetly provides weekend food for children from food-insecure homes.
Town councillor Robert Hutchinson credits Rochon with changing local attitudes about poverty. “Before Claude, there was this belief that food bank users were just people who couldn’t budget,” he admits. “Now our community understands the systemic issues behind food insecurity.”
Those systemic issues include Cochrane’s geographic isolation, limited employment opportunities, and higher food costs compared to urban centers. A basket of groceries here typically costs 27% more than in Toronto, according to Northern Policy Institute research.
Rochon doesn’t shy away from advocating for policy changes. He regularly presents to town council and has met with MPP Guy Bourgouin to discuss northern food security challenges.
“Emergency food is necessary but not sufficient,” Rochon insists. “We need living wages, affordable housing, and better income supports.”
Back in the food bank’s modest office, a wall displays thank-you cards from clients. Rochon points to one from a single mother who now volunteers after previously needing assistance. “That’s success,” he says quietly.
As our interview concludes, Rochon’s phone rings again – another family in need. The national award certificate sits unopened on his desk as he answers, his focus squarely on the work at hand.
In Cochrane, as in communities across Canada, food banks were never meant to be permanent fixtures. Yet Rochon’s pragmatic innovations and community-building approach offer valuable lessons for addressing hunger in the interim.
“Food insecurity is a symptom, not the disease,” he reminds me before turning his attention to the caller. “But until we cure the disease, we’ll make sure no one goes hungry in Cochrane.”
