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The Volunteer Factor – Lifting Our Community

by Calgary Food Bank | Apr 7, 2019 | Blog

Two men volunteering on the sorting line.

Happy National Volunteer Week! Help us celebrate our volunteers.

It’s bright and early at 6 am when the lights come on at the Calgary Food Bank and volunteers start the day. For the next 14 hours a self-less army will drive the trucks to pick-up food; greet clients; sort food donations; build hampers; support someone on the phone; work on the distribution line; guide donors through the building; and take donations at events. It’s a process that happens every weekday in the warehouse and weekends in the community, all in an effort to create a hunger-free community.

EVERY DAY VOLUNTEERS SORT 12,000 POUNDS OF FOOD,
AND RECEIVE 61,242 POUNDS OF FOOD

Last year, it took 148,104 volunteer hours of to meet the demand for food and Food Bank services. That is a lot of care and compassion for our neighbors. Volunteers provide more than 60% of the hours needed to keep the food moving. This undertaking equates to more than 70 full time equivalent staff positions and has a value to the community in excess of $4.4 million. From youth to seniors, families and groups, volunteers fuel this organization. Thank you for giving your time to help make our community better.

EVERY DAY VOLUNTEERS DISTRIBUTE
264 EMERGENCY HAMPERS TO 621 PEOPLE

Help us celebrate our wonderful volunteers this National Volunteer Week. Every day there are 149 people in 45 different roles for a total of 567 hours, proof that we could not do what we do without the generous time, talent and energy of volunteers. They truly are the lifeblood of our organization!