The Airdrie Food Bank (AFB) is in need of donations and is asking the community to help in any way possible.
“We are currently purchasing our most needed items,” said Christine Taylor, Events, Marketing and Communications manager with AFB. “That is something we have never had to do in the history of the food bank.”
According to Taylor, the number of food hampers distributed by AFB in September was up 36 per cent compared to the same month in 2019.
“It’s a huge jump,” Taylor said. “When COVID-19 first hit, we were busy, but not that busy. We knew in planning that once government supports ended, we would be hit hard. That is exactly what is happening.”
According to Taylor, the food bank held a food drive in October at a number of local grocery stores that raised 4,000 pounds of food.
“It sounds like a lot,” Taylor said. “When you drill it down to what goes into hampers, that works out to feed 24 families of four."
According to Taylor, that is only one day's worth of hampers.
To put it in perspective, Taylor said during a normal year, AFB would have around 80 to 100 large boxes – like the ones grocery stores use to sell watermelons or pumpkins – filled with donations at its warehouse to be sorted through.
“We currently have only three bins that are not sorted,” Taylor said. “At this time of year, we usually have teams and community partners come in to help us sort throughout the day, evenings and weekends. We don’t have the food to sort.”
According to Taylor, a big part of the food shortages AFB is currently facing stems from the continuously growing lists of events cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For example, the Shamrock Shimmy, the food bank's largest annual fundraiser, was cancelled a day before the event took place.
“That is usually an event that brings in $35,000,” Taylor said. “We are already anticipating not being able to hold more events moving forward.”
Other community events that aren't organized by AFB but still benefit the food bank, like the Airdrie City-Wide Food Drive and the Mayor's Food Drive, meaning fewer donations this year.
“We have been blessed and people have really come together in the community,” Taylor said. “But, all of our fundraisers and events have been cancelled. Usually, we are looking for monetary donations; we are actually looking for food now.”
Currently, Taylor said AFB gives out seven to 10 days' worth of food to people in need. She said if food donations remain low, that could change.
“We won’t be able to give as much and we’ll have to spend more money,” Taylor said. “We are just trying to take things day by day.”
In light of the shortages, Taylor said AFB hopes the community will rally to support those in need. Food bank donation bins can be found at local grocery stores and donations are picked up weekly. Taylor hopes residents who find a deal while grocery shopping consider making a food donation.
“If you can afford to do it…it would be really helpful,” Taylor said.
In a Nov. 4 Facebook post, AFB said it needs items like instant oatmeal, soup, tomatoes, baked beans, meal kits, syrup, cookies, condiments and flour. Donations can be left in bins at local grocery stores or dropped off directly at AFB's offices. Online donations can also be made through airdriefoodbank.com
Correction: An earlier version of this article quoted Christine Taylor saying 4,000 pounds of food feeds 24 families of four, which "is not even one hamper a day right now." In fact, that amount of food equals one day's worth of hampers.
Jordan Stricker, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @Jay_Strickz
