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Published April 4, 2024 • 4 minute read
The Strathcona Food Bank will celebrate its 40th anniversary with the Nourish Gala on Saturday, April 27th. Lindsay Morley/News Staff/File jpg, SP, apsmc
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Although its scope and scope have changed over the past 40 years, the needs have remained constant.
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Strathcona Food Bank (SFB) will be celebrating its 40th anniversary this month with a fundraiser to be held at the Agora community center on Saturday, April 27th.
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The Strathcona Christmas Bureau was established in 1977 to assist families in need during the holidays with baskets, but after a 1982 campaign, the board realized that residents needed assistance throughout the year. I decided that there was. The Strathcona Food Bank was established in his 1983 with supplies from various churches and several small food pantries from the newly established Edmonton Food Bank.
Its humble beginnings were established by eight volunteer officers in a 150-square-foot space behind the county's Family and Community Services office. At the time, it was a shared space with the county Department of Clothing Services.
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It then moved to the back of the old Sword and Shield cinema and was based at 255 Casca Road in April 1988. The food bank is still there, but it started at 3,200 square feet and has expanded five times. It has grown to its current size of 10,300 square feet.
“In 1983, no one could have predicted that food banks would become a permanent means of social service,” Strathcona Food Bank Director Anke Varner told the News. “All of our early food bankers were pioneers in finding space, acquiring grants, sourcing, and managing. We hope our clients, past and present, feel supported by their communities. .”
From 219 failures per year to over 5,550 failures per year: 40 years of exponential growth
Over the past 40 years, the level of assistance provided by this nonprofit organization has been remarkable, helping more than 193,000 residents.
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In 1983, the local food bank built 219 baskets, and 40 years later they were placing more than 5,550 baskets a year.
As of two years ago, the contents of these baskets have also evolved, with the board developing a nutrition policy to reduce the amount of non-perishables in each basket by 20 percent and increase the amount of meat, dairy and fresh produce in each basket. I promised. SFB has also responded to changing dietary needs, including offering gluten-free, vegetarian, low-sugar and halal products.
The food bank has increased the amount of fresh produce in its baskets by 20 percent.Lindsey Morley/News Staff/File
From 2021 to 2023, food banks saw an 80% increase in clientele, which equated to a 65% increase in the number of baskets sent out.
Due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and high inflation, demand for SFBs has recorded the highest increase in the past three years, with the number of customers increasing by 50%.
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In 2023, it reported a 35 percent increase in the number of people needing food baskets. This is higher than the 35 percent increase recorded in 2022. These customers include more working families, older adults, and unhoused people. These are people living in cars or tents.
More than 17,000 people will be supported by food banks in 2023
In a recent update with Strathcona Food Bank Co-Chairman Tracy Saika, it was predicted that the food bank will support 16,000 people in 2023, 40 per cent of whom will be children and teenagers. young people). By the end of the year, that number had increased to 17,141 people.
In response to surging demand, the food bank extended its hours twice last year. The first added hours introduced in January from 4:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday nights, and the second added hours from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays. 1 p.m., which started in late September. All basket pick-ups must be scheduled by phone.
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“As the number of people accessing the food bank has increased, so has our access, starting from 5 a.m. and now offering Thursday afternoons plus 6 a.m. slots during the week,” Berner said. said.
Food bank volunteers drop off and sort donations on Monday, November 20, 2023.Lindsey Morley/News Staff/File
The nonprofit organization has been run solely by volunteers since its inception and is currently supported by 200 volunteers each week.
“We would like to thank our past volunteers for their vision, innovation and initiative in developing the food bank into a large-scale operation,” board members said. “To our current volunteers who have provided energy, service and humor to help us navigate all the changes we have made over the past three years, while working hard to meet the increasing demand for our services. appreciate.”
We would also like to extend a big thank you to all our supporters, members of the public, businesses, schools, community groups, churches, teams, organizations and Strathcona County for their generous donations.
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The Nourish Gala, to be held on April 27th, will be the food bank's first self-sponsored fundraising event. The event will showcase food created by local chefs and aspiring chefs from local high schools and will also include live entertainment, featured drinks and raffle prizes. Tickets can be purchased from the event at strathconafoodbank.ca.
“It's important that we continue to support food banks because we see at least one new family accessing them every day,” Berner said. “Food insecurity remains a serious issue for many people in Strathcona County. Groceries, gas, and rent all continue to increase, and income and assistance alone are not always enough.”
For assistance, please call 780-449-6413. For more information or to donate, visit strathconafoodbank.ca.
lmorey@postmedia.com
X: Lindsay Morey
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