Working with Wood’s Homes to Feed YYC

For many charities in Calgary, food is a critical component of providing client support. But purchasing food or sourcing food donations is costly and time consuming, ultimately taking precious resources away from addressing the root causes of food insecurity. That is why we work with 239 Agencies and their programs through Food Link, our program that provides quality food and supplies to Calgary non-profit and community  groups. As their one-stop shop,  these organizations can focus their time and resources on important program delivery instead of food.

Wood’s Homes is one of the many organizations that we work with and the impact of the Food Link Program is invaluable to their organization. They are a nationally-recognized children’s mental health centre, that delivers 40+ programs across the province to children, youth and their families. Food is the strong connector for many of these youth. Last year, Food Link supplied 26,790 pounds of food that went to their Live-in programs; food that contributed to healthy breakfasts, lunches and dinners for young minds and bodies. 769 Hampers for the Homeless were distributed to at-risk youth who seek help at their EXIT Youth Hub, located at their campus in Inglewood. Food helped spark conversations and resulted in connections to critical supports for these youth. 312 referrals for Food Hampers came from their Home Connections program, where counsellors visit struggling families in their home. The provision of food minimizes some of the stressors in their environment and helps them focus on finding solutions to their crisis.