The reality of our current cost of living crisis is hitting closer to home than many of us care to admit. The phrase food insecurity gets thrown around a lot in the news, but on the ground here in Lanark County, it is a daily struggle for thousands of our neighbours. Since 2019, demand for emergency food assistance in our community has more than tripled.

Tammy Parent, the manager at the Lanark County Food Bank The Hunger Stop, recently shared some staggering numbers that truly broke my heart. In 2019, it cost the food bank $5000 a month to feed 500 people. Today, it costs a massive $40000 a month to support 1800 individuals. Shockingly, 38 percent of those relying on this vital community assistance are children.

Because The Hunger Stop operates solely on local donations without steady government funding, community driven food pantry support is more critical than ever. That is exactly why my friends and I have stepped up to launch a grassroots fundraising project to give back to the organization that once held me up.

My Personal Battle with Regional Food Poverty

This fight is deeply personal for me. Between 2019 and 2022, long before I graduated with my music composition degree from the University of Ottawa, I was a full time student struggling to make ends meet. During those tough years, I was an actual recipient of the Lanark County Food Bank services.

The grocery baskets and free community meals they provided became my ultimate safety net. Because of their generosity, I could put my energy into my piano, voice, and composition studies instead of constantly stressing over missed meals or severe nutritional deficiency.

Now in 2026, I am a proud university graduate, a classical tenor performing with the Ewashko Singers at the National Arts Centre, and a working musician with singles that have played across six radio stations. I am incredibly lucky to be thriving, but I will never forget where I came from. Local emergency food assistance programs are fundamental to helping vulnerable people survive, succeed, and unlock their true potential.

Our $10000 Goal: How We Stop the Hunger Stress

To show my gratitude, my friends and I have set a firm deadline to raise $10000 by the end of August 2026. This exact amount will fully fund a two month supply of fresh milk and eggs for local families navigating extreme financial and food stress.

Over the years, I have used my music career to advocate for disability rights, support youth living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder FASD, and aid displaced Ukrainians. 

Now, I am focusing all that energy right here at home. I am thrilled to share that our community has already rallied to raise $6755.50 toward our current goal, but we still have a way to go.

How to Support the Initiative

I am hitting the streets this summer to make this goal a reality. You can catch me busking live outside the Carleton Place Tourism Centre on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month from May 30th to August 30th, 2026. I will be singing a mix of everything.

We are also planning a major grand finale benefit event for September or October, and I will be announcing the official date on my Instagram @andrewjjahn at the end of May.

If you are looking for a direct way to combat food insecurity and ensure local kids have access to fresh, nutritious food, please consider donating to our campaign today. Every single dollar counts.