w at er lo oc hr on ic le .c a W at er lo o C hr on ic le | T hu rs da y, S ep te m be r 1, 20 22 | 8 ABOUT US This newspaper, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 70 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the news- paper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca editorial@waterloochronicle.ca facebook.com/waterloochronicle @wlchronicle WHO WE ARE Publisher and Chief Executive Officer Neil Oliver Vice President, Content, Community and Operations Dana Robbins Director of Content Lee Ann Waterman Regional General Manager Nelson Parreira Regional Director of Media Heather Dunbar Advertising Representatives Fran Hendry, Katrina Anderson, Jan Bodanka, Matt Miller, Lisa Humphreys, Cassandra Dellow, Zaid Shahabuddin, Managing Editor Robyn Wilkinson Online Editor Loraine Centeno News Editor Ned Bekavac Reporter Bill Jackson Director Creative Services Katherine Porcheron CONTACT US Waterloo Chronicle 219 Labrador Dr. Suite 203, Waterloo, On., N2K 4M8 Phone: 519-886-2830 Web: www.waterloochronicle.ca Letters to the editor All letters must be fewer than 320 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters. Published letters will appear in print and/or online at waterloochronicle.ca Delivery For all delivery inquiries, e-mail customerservice@metroland.com or call 519-894-3000. OPINION TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT WATERLOOCHRONICLE.CA You've seen them at the grocery store, gas station and on your monthly bills: rising prices. The cost of living is skyrocketing, forc- ing many of us to make do with less. While it's normal to stress about money from time to time, the kind of in- flation we are experiencing right now can create feel- ings of depression, shame and fear and lead to isola- tion. The latest FP Canada 2022 Financial Stress Index shows that 38 per cent of Canadians identify money as their biggest concern. The survey also shows that two in five Canadians re- port feeling less hopeful about their financial fu- tures now than a year ago, and one in three say finan- cial stress is leading to anx- iety, depression and other mental health challenges. A survey by Angus Reid earlier this year also shows more than half of Canadi- ans feel outpaced by the daily cost of living and wouldn't be able to cover an unexpected expense of $1,000. There is a connection between your finances and your mental health. If we are feeling depressed, it is difficult to feel motivated to manage our money. Spending may give us a temporary high, so we may overspend to feel better in the moment or make im- pulsive financial decisions. We may be afraid of check- ing our balances or ashamed to admit we need support. Not being able to afford the things we need or want may lead to feel- ings of isolation. Financial stress affects working Canadians of all income levels and age groups, but it hits lower-in- come families especially hard. They are already vul- nerable and at risk. As costs soar, local food banks have seen epic de- mand increases, as have public housing providers. Precarious employment and the loss of pandemic- related benefits late last year are also making it even more challenging for many families to make ends meet. According to the Finan- cial Consumer Agency of Canada, there are many sources of financial stress, including managing household expenses, deal- ing with high levels of debt, living paycheque to pay- cheque, struggling to save money and dealing with unexpected expenses. If you are experiencing financial stress, you're twice as likely to report poor overall health, more likely to experience strain in your personal relation- ships and four times as likely to suffer from sleep problems, headaches and mental illness. The pandemic high- lighted the darkness of mental health. It helped us come together in our col- lective grief and struggle, which brought comfort. Just as the pandemic lifted some of the stigma around mental health, this latest round of inflation may con- tribute to a similar shift when it comes to the con- versation around our rela- tionship with money and its impact on our mental health. If you are worried about money, you are not alone. The financial struggle is real for so many. There are professionals that can help you take care of your fi- nances, and you can also take care of your mental health. Addressing the underly- ing stress and worry will help you tackle your finan- cial challenges, one step at a time. Whether it's by carpool- ing, couponing, offering to split grocery orders or bulk items or just asking if and how we can help, we are al- leviating shame by letting others know they're not alone. Inflation is a global problem that has left many struggling. It has also left people much more under- standing and empathetic of these problems. Helen Fishburn is the CEO of the Canadian Men- tal Health Association of Waterloo Wellington. IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT MONEY, YOU ARE NOT ALONE THERE ARE PROFESSIONALS THAT CAN HELP YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR FINANCES, AND YOU CAN ALSO TAKE CARE OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH, WRITES HELEN FISHBURN HELEN FISHBURN Column It was an expensive summer for Canadians, and that trend is expected to continue into the fall as students head back to class. Inflation and supply chain issues have all re- sulted in higher costs for food, gas and other essen- tials. A recent study from De- loitte estimates it will cost $661 per child for this year's back-to-school season. This is an eight per cent increase over spending from last year, driven mostly by inflation. Of the families sur- veyed, 57 per cent are con- cerned about inflation, and 33 per cent said their finan- cial situation has wors- ened in 2022. With costs for school supplies and other items increasing, families may find themselves making difficult choices this school year. We're here to support those families, connecting them with food and other resources they may need in September. At The Food Bank of Waterloo Region, we've seen an increase in the number of school-aged children accessing our ser- vices. Between April and June 2022, 2,477 children be- tween the ages of six and 11 accessed The Food Bank, an increase of 25.42 per cent over the same time frame last year. Numbers are similar for children between 12 and 17, where 2,250 accessed our services in the past quar- ter. This is a 27.26 per cent increase over April to June 2021. These numbers show how more families are struggling to put food on the table. We expect to see even more children and families through our doors through the rest of 2022. Many students across Waterloo Region benefit from school lunch pro- grams supported by the Community Food Assis- tance network, a system of more than 100 community organizations providing food and support to those in need. The Food Bank has also been working to ensure children have nutritious meals throughout the sum- mer months through our "Full Bellies. Happy Hearts." campaign. Children are more at- tentive and perform better when they're eating nutri- tious food, and we're happy to support programming to make sure no child needs to go hungry at school. Do- nations are always appre- ciated, and we're so grate- ful to community members who continue to support The Food Bank. As families work on their back-to-school plans, I encourage them to in- clude food in their budget and reach out to communi- ty programs if they need any support to make sure their children have a safe, healthy and happy school year. Kim Wilhelm is the acting CEO of the Food Bank of Waterloo Region. IT WILL COST MORE THAN EVER TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL THIS FALL THE FOOD BANK OF WATERLOO REGION HAS SEEN A 25% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN ACCESSING OUR SERVICES, WRITES KIM WILHELM KIM WILHELM Column SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT WATERLOOCHRONICLE.CA