Some New Brunswick food bank administrators say they've seen a substantial increase in the number of families seeking help this year and they believe the reasons range from immigration rules to rising costs.

The food bank in Woodstock, Volunteer Family Services Inc., is seeing 15 to 17 new families each month, said Sandra Olmstead.

Many of them are from other countries such as Germany, England and the Netherlands and have come to the region to work in the trucking industry, she said.

Although they are given a living allowance, it's often not enough to keep them going, said Olmstead.

"And what we're finding is that because of the way that the immigration works, they are given work permits to work within just one industry and within one company. So if you're brought over here as a truck driver, with one company, you can only drive trucks for that company."

Any change requires changing their work visa, which takes a long time, said Olmstead.

Power bills on the rise

The number of families from the McAdam and Harvey area using the Lakeland Resource Centre's food bank has jumped about 50 per cent over last year to 32, said Crissy Soucy.

She said she believes one of the main factors behind the increase is the rising cost of power bills.

In order to avoid social assistance clients having their power cut off if they fall behind on their bill, the Department of Social Development sometimes sets aside a portion of their cheque, "which leaves them with very minimal money given to them at the first of the month," said Soucy.

"And they have to rely on the food banks to get them through until the family allowance comes. And there's just not enough to go around," she said.

"So if their cheque was $850, they take $400 off and it leaves them with $450 to do them. And that means paying the rent, paying their phone bill, paying their whatever they have. And then they have to wait for family allowance to come, probably to pay more bills."

Soucy said the food bank has been able to meet the needs of families in the McAdam and Harvey area for the most part, with the help of Food Banks Canada and the New Brunswick Association of Food Banks.

But it does occasionally call local clergy members to ask their congregations for helps, he said.

The most difficult period is between November and April, said Soucy.