After the lightheartedness of April Fools’ Day, the Calgary Food Bank took a serious step forward in addressing hunger in the community. Partnering with QR Calgary, Global Calgary, Bowest Appliances and World of Spas, it launched the inaugural April Foods Day.
Throughout March, both Bowest Appliances and World of Spas accepted donations at their stores.
On April 3, 2024, the QR Calgary crew collected the donated goods, totalling around 680 pounds of food, and delivered it directly to the Calgary Food Bank’s doors.
Calgary Food Bank CEO Melissa From expressed gratitude for the community’s support, emphasizing how heartwarming it is to see everyone come together to help those in need.
“It means a lot,” said From. “Our community steps up in incredible ways every day to make sure we can feed Calgarians. That being said, it has been a really tough couple of years.”
Stephanie Campbell, a five-year food bank volunteer, highlighted the ongoing struggle against food insecurity, saying “all of us are not that far from having to be here.”
The most recent Hunger Count report from Food Banks Canada show that food bank usage across the country, including Calgary, is at an all-time high. In March 2023, there were almost two million visits to food banks across Canada, representing a 32 per cent increase compared to March 2022
“The need has never been greater,” said From. “The reality is, in addition to having a growing city, Calgarians are faced with those everyday pressures of inflation, increased mortgages and increased cost of living.”
In this challenging landscape, community partnerships like April Foods Day are more critical than ever. Campbell emphasized the impact even small contributions can have on someone’s life, underscoring the importance of collective efforts in combating hunger.
“If we’re just a little bit a part of someone’s story… how far that really goes,” said Campbell.