The city has invested more than half a million dollars this year to keep its neediest residents fed.

In October, the city spent $200,000 on food vouchers as part of a pilot program to help curb a crisis in local food banks. These vouchers are being given out to welfare recipients through their case managers, said Gillian Hendry, the city's director of social housing and homelessness.

Since the spring, the city has also spent an additional $200,000 on food vouchers for welfare recipients who are involved with employment programs.

However, those vouchers are part of a larger package that includes bus passes, phone cards and haircut coupons and aren't directly related to the caseload numbers, Hendry said.

The public health department also dedicated $40,000 this fall to food vouchers, which will be distributed throughout the year.

Those vouchers will be handed out to participants in public health programming, including parenting groups, teen prenatal classes and mental health outreach clients.

This week, the emergency and community services committee voted to give $100,000 to Hamilton Food Share for this year's Christmas hampers.

That recommendation will go to council for final approval next Wednesday.

The city has requested $16.5 million from the province to help offset the costs of social services. However, in light of the province's $25-billion deficit, Mayor Fred Eisenberger has warned council members to "prepare themselves" for the possibility of being cut out of provincial funding. And even with the contribution from the province, Hamilton still faces a $13.8-million budget shortfall next year.

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