This past year has continued to challenge Calgarians from all sides. There is increasing demand month over month, year over year. The economic upheaval continues to impact so many lives, in so many ways. Social, cultural, and environmental challenges are manifesting in a city that has not seemed to catch a break since 2008’s global financial meltdown and the subsequent 2015 Alberta downturn.
Calgary may be a city of over a million, but the heart of this city remains small town and community focused. When times are tough, Calgarians rally and come together to help their neighbours in need. And this holiday season, individuals, families and businesses came together in a big way to make sure that the holidays were happy for everyone. Whether it’s a tin, a truckload, a monetary donation or an hour of time, Calgarians gave with their hearts.
We were recently named as one of Charity Intelligence’s Top 10 Canadian Impact Charities of 2019. It is truly humbling to be recognized in this way.
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.