Heather Wright/The Independent

More young families with children were looking for help this Christmas.

That’s according to Sandra Hartman of Christmas for Everyone.

The Petrolia-based charity provides Christmas food boxes and presents to families – delivered by local firefighters – in much of Lambton County. This year with the mail strike fewer applications came in, says Hartman. And that was leading to some last minute calls for help.

“I literally just had a message saying ‘I went to my post office yesterday and it was there.
“We’ve had that over the last week especially that several have come in after the fact. I don’t know how many more are still out there,” she added.

Hartman said there were about 55 fewer applications in Petrolia alone than Christmas 2024.
She says if those 55 families would have applied they would have surpassed 500 families in need this year.

“I feel that families with kids really utilized us this year because obviously, with the increased cost of everything, I think they just couldn’t do it.”

It is a sign, Hartman says, of the rising cost of food. In November, food prices climbed another 4.7 per cent according to Statistics Canada. The annual food report prepared by Dalhousie University expects prices to climb in 2026.

The price of meat – particularly beef – is expected to rise about seven per cent in 2026 with other food items climbing four to six per cent in cost.

Hartman believes those prices are not driving more people to seek help at Christmas but also during the year at the Petrolia Food Bank.

“It’s dire…“It’s affecting everybody.

“People are coming in a lot more stressed,” she says. “They’re requesting extra stuff just because they can’t afford it. People are asking if they can come in sooner than our three-week mark – which we get.”
Hartman says the effects of the increase of food are also seen in the donation bins.

“Even watching the donations that come in, being used to a certain amount and it has drastically dropped.

Hartman says normally four large square containers are set out for food collection during the Christmas season and they’re filled to overflowing. This year, donations filled just two of those containers.

While all the Christmas boxes and toys have been delivered for this year, Hartman is expecting 2026 will be a difficult year for many in Lambton.

“Something has got to give because these people – nobody can sustain this.”