By the end of 2024 the Calgary Food Bank will have served almost 175,000 emergency food hampers — nearly 200 per cent more than 2019
With demand surging for food banks across Canada, the Calgary Food Bank is seeing some of the highest increases in the country.
Total annual visits to the Calgary Food Bank are up 28 per cent over last year, a change that is much higher than the national average according to president and CEO Melissa From.
Even more concerning, From says, is that the percentage of food bank clients who are working is 37 per cent, which is higher than both the national and provincial averages.
“This means that paycheques have not kept up with the increases in the costs of living,” she said.
“As it stands today, we are serving more clients at the Calgary food bank than we ever have before,” From said on Monday.
By the end of 2024 they will have served almost 175,000 emergency food hampers, up from 68,000 in 2019 according to From — which represents an almost 200 per cent increase over five years.
“Even just looking from 2023 to 2024 (there has been) about a 26 per cent increase in the number of hampers that we’re distributing,” said From.
From says that despite increased demand, they’re also seeing fewer donations from the general public.
“Folks are struggling to make ends meet, they’re not maybe giving as much . . . and you know, we’re also facing those costs,” she said. “The reality is that we do purchase a large amount of the food, particularly some items like protein and dairy products.”
“Folks are coming for opportunity, and then they get here and they’re struggling to find jobs, they’re struggling to find housing. All of those things add up as well to (folks) lined up outside our door, looking for help.”
From says they are part of the solution and will continue to play a role in facilitating a way for Calgarians to help others in their city.
“The other side of the solution really needs to come from three different levels of government having conversations about how they can ensure that Canadians, Albertans, Calgarians, can keep more of their hard earned money and be able to afford to put food on the table for their families.”
— With files from The Canadian Press and Postmedia