Provincial statistics are painting a bleak picture of poverty in the Okanagan.
According to the United Way, more than 40,000 people in the region are living below the poverty line.
Executive Director Helen Jackman thinks the cost of housing has a lot to do with it.
"There are some families that are really struggling in our community" said Jackman. "When you've got a high cost of living, very high housing costs, living on a minimum wage really doesn't go very far."
Jackman notes 21% of Okanagan households spend more than half their income on rent. She finds the picture is especially troubling for children.
"Right across BC, about 12% of households are living below what's considered to be the poverty line. That translates to one in five children. So, in any given day, one in five kids could be going to school hungry which makes it hard for them to concentrate and that really shouldn't be happening in a province like BC and an area like the Okanagan"
The staggering statistics were collated from Provincial numbers by the United Way to illustrate the significant role played by charitable organizations in the community.
Jackman is inviting locals with more stable financial footing to make a donation at unitedwaycso.com.