Tamisan Bencz-Knight, manager of strategic relationships at the food bank, said that as of 2:14 p.m. on Sunday, 21,423 kilograms of food had been collected.
She said that donation level is on par with previous years, even when taking Saturday’s weather into account.
The food bank’s goal during Heritage Festival is to raise 50,000 kilograms of food.
“We hope people don’t forget about us. People [can] keep coming down and bringing their donations,” Bencz-Knight said.
The food bank said in 2016, client numbers reached a record high and, unfortunately, in 2017 the demand has only grown.
READ MORE: Celebration of culture and global fare at Edmonton Heritage Festival
“We’re seeing people from a variety of backgrounds and needs, we’re seeing people who are working for low wages, we’re seeing people on social welfare programs that are not getting enough to make ends’ meet,” said Edmonton’s Food Bank executive director Marjorie Bencz.
“We’re seeing people who are paying again, higher rates for housing — Edmonton’s not a cheap place to live — and by the time they pay for their rent and other fixed costs, they are relying on the food bank.”
Last year, the food bank collected just half of its donation goal at the Heritage Festival, in part due to poor weather during the first day of the event.
Heritage Festival is the largest fundraiser of the year for the food bank.
READ MORE: Edmonton Food Bank looks to Heritage Festival to fill bare shelves, empty stomachs
In past years, donations from the Heritage Festival have sustained the organization through the difficult summer months. The food bank said that, right now, its shelves are empty.
Donations can also be dropped off at any major grocery store or fire hall until Friday. Donation boxes will be at Heritage Festival until it closes Monday at 8 p.m.
-with files from Karen Bartko
Comments