Give What You Can
There has been a lot of chatter about donating money instead of food and we would like to set the record straight: give what you can (pun intended).
There has been a lot of chatter about donating money instead of food and we would like to set the record straight: give what you can (pun intended).
4 million Canadians are food insecure and struggle to put enough food on the table. Every day they face tough decisions about how to make ends meet.
Over 35 years ago, Calgary Food Bank founders recognized the importance of redirecting viable food to support the community. We continue to connect the dots through food gleaning direct from industry. We connect with food retailers to help them understand the importance of donating quality items; and we work with transportation companies to get the food where it needs to be.
For many agencies in Calgary, food is a critical component of client support. But allocating resources to purchase food or source food donations is costly and time consuming, taking away from addressing the root causes of food insecurity. For 239 agency programs, the Calgary Food Bank’s Food Link program is their place to collect quality food and supplies.
Calgary is a city of a million-plus people with an expanse of quadrants and communities. And within every neighborhood, there is someone in need. In an effort to create a hunger-free community, we must ensure that Food Hampers are accessible for families and individuals in various neighborhoods.
May is Mental Health Awareness month and the Canadian Mental Health Association recognizes May 6-12 as Mental Health Week. With this topic being top-of-mind, we want to explore the link between mental health and food insecurity.