User:Edmonton's Food Bank

Established in 1981 as the Edmonton Gleaners Association in Edmonton, Alberta, Edmonton’s Food Bank was the first food bank in Canada.

Edmonton’s Food Bank history Edmonton’s Food Bank was born through the realisation of two factors by a small number of individuals from various local non-profit organizations: hunger was affecting the lives of many of their clients and edible food was being wasted in the community. There was a desire to reconcile these realities and to establish a channel for surplus food from the food industry to those who were experiencing food insecurity. In April 1980, an ad hoc committee began investigating the possibility of establishing a food bank to serve agencies located in the inner city. Interest was high among these agencies to provide meal or snack programs to people in need. With funding provided by the Marian Centre, an official from Second Harvest Food Bank (Phoenix, Arizona) was asked to attend a workshop to provide his expertise. Following several meetings, an official steering committee was appointed by the participating agencies to carry out the planning for the Food Bank until the organization became legally incorporated and an official Board of Directors was elected. On January 16, 1981, the Edmonton Gleaners Association, more commonly known as Edmonton’s Food Bank, received its official charter of incorporation and Canada’s first food bank was born. Each month, more than 15,500 people receive hampers from Edmonton’s Food Bank or one of the 160 agencies, churches, or food depots with which it is affiliated. The Food Bank also distributes food to more than 250,000 meals and snacks each month. Approximately 40 per cent of clients served are children under 18. (March 2009 statistics)

Mission Statement To be stewards in the collection of surplus and donated food for the effective distribution, free of charge, to people in need in our community while seeking solutions to the causes of hunger.

Volunteer-driven organization Edmonton’s Food Bank relies heavily on volunteers. In 2008, more than 34,000 volunteer hours assisted with the organization’s operations. Edmonton’s Food Bank is also a referral agency When individuals call the Food Bank looking for assistance, they are asked questions about their situation such as their name, address, family size, source of income, and what has happened that has left them short of money and food. It is during this intake process that the individual may be provided with information on other helping agencies or groups such as low-cost housing, collective kitchens, free meals, free or low-cost household goods or clothing, food co-op, employment information (resumes, access to fax, and phone), Health For Two (pre-natal health connection), emergency shelters and immigrant services. Our volunteers are also able to provide information on welfare benefits and other government assistance programs.

External links [Edmonton's Food Bank]http://www.edmontonsfoodbank.com/ [Food Banks Canada]http://foodbankscanada.ca/main.cfm [Alberta Food Bank Network Association]http://www.afbna.ca/ [United Way]http://www.myunitedway.ca/ [Sharing the Harvest]https://www.edmontonsfoodbank.com/documents/27/sharingtheharvest.pdf [Edmonton's Food Bank 2020 Annual Report]https://www.edmontonsfoodbank.com/documents/123/EdmontonsFoodBank-2020AnnualReport.pdf