Just under 20,000 kilograms of food was collected at Candy Cane Lane this Christmas season.
That’s despite getting off to a good start early in December.
“I was down at the ribbon cutting on Dec. 8, and I’ve never seen as many people down on the lane as I did that evening,” Edmonton Food Bank executive director Marjorie Bencz said. “There were lots of young families out there with strollers and walking and enjoying the warmth and the beautiful lights.”
However, much of the foot traffic tapered off once the mercury dropped. Bencz isn’t surprised, as attendance and donations fluctuate with the weather.
In a warm year like in 2011 they pulled in 31,000 kilograms, however a cold one like in 2008 can be as low as 9,200 kilograms.
By the time this latest cold snap was over, donations were already dropping for the season.
“As you get into Dec. 27, 28, 29, often people aren’t thinking about the food bank, it’s more the wrap-up of the Christmas season at that time.”
Despite the lower numbers, Bencz said those contributions will go a long way in helping the increasing number of clients they have.
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