Anti-Bullying Month Highlights Stigma Around Food Bank Use

February is Anti-Bullying Month, a time to reflect on how bullying shows up in schools, workplaces, and communities. While bullying is often associated with playgrounds and classrooms, community leaders say it also exists in quieter, less visible ways — including the shame and stigma surrounding food bank use.

That sense of judgment often prevents people from seeking support, even when they need it most. In many people’s eyes, using a food bank is still seen as a personal failure. This stigma keeps individuals from asking for help and reinforces harmful assumptions about poverty and need.

Tami Smith, who oversees the food bank and food programs at People for a Healthy Community (PHC), understands this experience firsthand. Before working in food security, she herself relied on a food bank.

“I remember feeling like I was failing,” Tami said. “Like I would be judged for not being a good enough parent, not working hard enough, or not managing money properly. Those feelings don’t come from nowhere — they come from how we talk about poverty and need.”

During Anti-Bullying Month, Tami says it’s important to recognize that stigma functions much like bullying: it isolates people, silences them, and reinforces damaging stereotypes.

“When someone feels embarrassed or afraid to use a food bank, that’s not just a personal issue — that’s a community issue,” she said. “Judgment, assumptions, and silence all contribute to that harm.”

PHC’s food programs aim to provide safe, respectful access to food, particularly during times when life takes an unexpected turn. Job loss, illness, rising costs, or family changes can all lead to food insecurity — often temporarily.

“It takes courage to ask for help,” Tami said. “Reaching out isn’t a failure. It’s a strength.”

On Gabriola Island, food insecurity is more common than many residents realize. PHC reports that one in twenty households accesses the local food bank. Yet Tami notes the issue is often framed as affecting “other people,” rather than neighbours, friends, or coworkers.

“Anti-bullying work asks us to speak up when we see harm,” she said. “That applies here too. We need to challenge the attitudes that make people feel small for needing support.” Tami also encourages uncomfortable but necessary conversations.

“When was the last time you asked someone if they needed the food bank?” she asked. “It feels uncomfortable. Too personal. But that discomfort is part of why the issue stays hidden.”

She is calling for more open dialogue — within families, among neighbours, and at all levels of government — to bring food insecurity into the public eye and address its systemic causes.

“We need to talk about it, loudly and often,” Tami said. “Only then can the people with the power to create change no longer ignore it.”

For Tami, the message is ultimately about shared responsibility.

“Bullying thrives in silence,” she said. “So does hunger.”

As Anti-Bullying Month encourages kindness, inclusion, and standing up for one another, Tami hopes the community will extend those values beyond words and into action.

“Community means making sure no one is shamed for needing help,” she said. “It means showing up for each other — especially when things are hard.”

If you or someone you know is in need, please contact  250-247-7322 or food@phcgabriola.org