TAR eee TN “ ° Ram eee rn a or ar as ov’t fails to provide mean S to eat healthy, experts say SOCIAL ASSISTANCE rates con- tinue to lag- behind what it takes to buy healthy food, says a report just. released by dietitians and nutrition- ists. And a minimum wage of $8, , which hasn’t gone up in five years, isn’t enough to buy healthy food as well as meet other living costs, they say in an annual report called “The ‘Cost of Eating in B.C.” - An average family of. four on social assistance ‘needs to spend as ’ much as 41 per cent of its income on ‘four needs to spend 29 per cent of its food while a low-earning family of income on food. © The report looked at income lev-_ els for families for. four balanced against the average monthly, cost of buying healthy. food across B. C. based on 66 basic items, It places the disposable income of a family of four on social assistance at $1,601 a month yet says it costs $653 a month to buy healthy food. Terrace-based community nutri- - tionist Flo Sheppard.says the link between income and healthy eating must be addressed. “What’s needed is a fair assis- tance system.. Rent’s an issue that needs to be looked at. Once you fin- . ish paying rent, if you are on social assistance, you don’t have enough for food,” she said. It means parents shouldn’t be put ‘into a position of having to choose ‘between healthy food for their chil dren or other necessities, Sheppard added. Although food prices in the north are about on par with costs else- where in the province, Sheppard said additional: costs such as heat and electricity in the winter further: reduce the amount of: money avail- able for healthy eating. And outlying places such as Dease- Lake and the - Queen Charlotte” Islands still have .food prices affected by- transporta- + % ef IE tion costs, she said. Sheppard, who works for the. yota Fifiancial Services ; MU52MP (A) Monthly lease payments of $399 based ot #48-month watk on approval of credit. Monthly purchase finance plans are available from To 000 km over 48 months. If exceeded additional charges are 10¢/km for Tundra, and 10¢/km for Tacoma. The ay change without notice. Dealer may sell for less, ‘ * YO vent NCOME LEVELS affect the ‘choices people make in buying food, says: community nutritionist Flo ‘Sheppard. Some choices % are better ) _than others. Northern Health h Authority, ‘helped gather the data that went into the 66- ‘item food basket cost. Income not only determines how much food a person can buy but also _ what kind of food, she says., Those ‘on limited incomes may not. have the facilities «to prepare food from scratch ‘or,.for instance, to properly store food. they’ ve pur chased i in freezers. DP og 2006 TUNDRA 4X4 DCAB V8* lt could lead to making. poor food - purchase . choices simply because that particular kind: of food won’t spoil or go bad for. long periods of time, said Sheppard. ” ~ “To a person-on a low income, * $20-is huge. So if you have $20 to spend on food for. your children, do you buy something they'll eat that ‘is,healthy or do you buy something ‘that? ati last, ” -She said. Perec eee ree eee rere rece ee eee eee ee eee eee ere - Generous Vehicle Allowances up to $4 000! battery levy and air conditioning federal excise tax (where applicable) of: $1,510 for Tundra, and $1,510 for Tacoma. Federal and ~ d on all 2006 & 2007 models, ¢ purchase from 18390 price . Less purchase 41,890 | Vehicle _ Allowance | $4,000 price is $35,580. Lease payments are at a maximum of 96 d pre-delivery inspection, tire levy, payment required on signing. tA security deposit is not require purchase price is $37,890, includes $4000 vehicle allowance. ** For the 2007 Tacoma 4x4 DCab V6 your Toyota BC Dealer for more details. Some conditions apply; offers are time limited and m 170, Cash purchase and $475 Tacoma. All offers include freight an wn payment and first & TOYOTA: ACCESS GP) TOYOTA a nicer way to buy a car ‘Even distance from a grocery store can influence how much can be spent on food or what kind of food is purchased. “If you don’t have transporta- tion and you take a taxi, you have to consider the cost of that taxi,” said Sheppard. , ‘Even having sidewalks becomes a factor in purchasing food, she added. . “If you are a mother with three young children and you: live on the southside where there are no side- walks, think of what it takes to walk to the store,” she said. And once at a store, what you buy must then be taken back home while taking care of your young ones, said Sheppard. . People. on a. low ‘income with’ children are also faced with trends ‘and expectations established by oth- ers and that could be a problem if it’s not a healthy food. o “A child at school may look over at“ what others are. eating “and feel they want one, too,” said Sheppard. - As much as income is tied to healthy food, Sheppard says having more disposable income is no longer . a guarantee that good choices. are be- ing made. ' “I really think the ‘line choices such as wanting more con- “. venience. -“We are losing our ability to cook from scratch. It’s open, dump, stir and serve.” Those kinds of foods require pre- servatives and other additives, said . Sheppard. ; It’s why dietitians aiid nutrition- ° ists continue to work on encouraging people to make better choices and why there’s an increased emphasis on food education in schools. ; The Cost of Eating in B.C. was " prepared by the Dietitians of Canada. and the Community Nutritionists ‘Council of B.C. It | can be found at www. dietitians.c ca. te is | blurring. Income can lead to bad... Geta truck nigh enoug TA M0 [ow all your toys. bees eden scene ebaceasncerrsctnscccereevecessecessssaceeeesneeetsnvesarecscnretees The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, December 13, 2006 - A3 Donation Guide a THE KETTLE ‘campaign and the local letter: appeal : YOU CAN SHARE the spirit of the holiday season by supporting local charities and campaigns. Gifts for local children TERRACE ANTI-POVERTY is asking for your dona- tion of a new gift for a local child or teen as part of its. annual Children’s Christmas Campaign. _. Select a gift tag for a child (newborn to age 18) from Christmas trees at MLA Robin Austin’s office, Ker-" mode Friendship Centre, St. John’s Ambulance, Misty River Books, Fabricland, Pick up the Pace Health & | Fitness, Skeena Mall and Wal- Mart. The deadline is Dec. 13. Hampers will be wrapped and deliver red by Dec. 21. To sponsor a family, donate a gift or make a financial contribution, call Stacey Tyers at 635-4631. The soci- ely is located at 4628 Park Ave. : Salvation Army appeal gather donations to help piy for Christmas hampers, the | soup kitchen and a year round emergency food bank. When you seé the red kettles between Dec. 1-23 at - - Canadian Tire, Safeway, Save-On-Foods, B.C. liquor |} store, Skeena Mall and Wal-Mart, please give gener- ously. To volunteer at a kettle, call Renee at 635-4313. . The Sharing Tree THE MIX, CJEW and CFT K-TV and partner Terrace Totem Ford ask you to support the 35th annual Shar- ing Tree. Donate non-perishable foods.or unwrapped, brand-new gifts suitable for a child, teen or adult. The presents are distributed by the Salvation Amy. |. Drop gifts off at the Standard Broadcasting office at 4625 Lazelle Ave. or at any one of 25 downtown busi- ‘ ‘nesses displaying a Sharing Treé Poster, or help Totem | Ford fill its Sharing Truck. The deadline i is:Dec. 18. Tree of Lights — SUPPORT LOCAL children with special néeds by do-. nating to the Terrace Child Development Centre’s 20th | annual Tree: of Lights campaign through to Dec.. 22 in the Skeena Mall. Sponsor a red, silver or gold light (from $25 to $100) in memory of a loved one, - Give a gift to Ksan ‘THE KSAN House Society invites people to stop by its . offices at 4838 Lazelle Ave. with a gift for. clients of the _ Ksan House Society and the Terrace Emergency: Shel- : y ter. Gifts for men, women and children are welcome. ° » Donations of office, bedroom and household ‘furniture - ‘and supplies are also welcome. Call 635- 2373. os . . oO. a se . IT PAYS TO READ THE FINE PRINT: * For the 2006 Tundra 4x4 DCab V8, DT441 S(A) Cash away lease with $5,018 down at 5.9% APR. Total lease obligations are $24 refundable security deposit is: $575 for Tundra, Provincial sales taxes are not included. Do on approved credit to qualified retail lessees / purchasers.Visit TERRACE MOTORS 4912 Highway 16 West, Terrace, BC (250) 635-6558 wD ns a Ti oy F 8 pene ane orais AEE A HM ee ok is FEAT Ta ¢ 4