Food Bank Use Prior to Homelessness

Abstract

This policy brief investigates the relationship between food bank usage and homelessness, examining how individuals and families respond to financial shocks that threaten their ability to maintain a home. By linking administrative data from the Calgary Homeless Foundation and the Calgary Food Bank, this research identifies patterns in food bank reliance before individuals and families enter the shelter system. The data reveal that as people approach the loss of housing, their use of food banks increases significantly, suggesting that the use of food banks may be an early warning indicator of potential homelessness.