Dear Friends,

In 2014, the Board of Edmonton’s Food Bank approved a new Strategic Plan with five Strategic Directions to guide the work of the organization to 2020. The goals and objectives of the Strategic Plan are ambitious and challenging as we work towards not only distributing food to our most vulnerable and just as importantly, working with the broader community to reduce hunger.

Sadly, over the last ten years, we have out-grown our current facility and warehouse. The organization faced the question as to whether to relocate to a larger facility, reduce specific programs or to operate out of two locations. In 2014, the organization acquired a second warehouse which is helping us with our storage and severe capacity concerns. We appreciate the Stollery, Butler, Muttart and Anonymous Foundations for taking this leap of faith with us as they were instrumental in acquiring the building.

Over time, we will need to do a capital campaign to deal with some concerns and to pay off the mortgage. In the meantime, the building has received its Safe Food Handling permit and WECAN Food Basket Society has leased some office space from us. It is our goal to work closer with WECAN and other food security organizations to better address food insecurity in Edmonton.

Thank you for taking a few minutes to read this newsletter. We are very fortunate to be supported by the wide range of committed volunteers, donors and other supporters. Your kind support and ongoing encouragement to reduce hunger in our community is appreciated.

Yours truly,

Marjorie Bencz, CM Executive Director

@yegfoodbank

Edmonton's Food Bank

www.edmontonsfoodbank.com

Message from the Executive DirectorCONTACT INFORMATION

Executive Director: Marjorie Bencz, CM

Director of Operations: Mark Doram

Warehouse: 11508 - 120 Street

Edmonton, AB T5G 2Y2

Mailing Address: PO Box 62061

Edmonton, AB T5M 4B5

Phone: 780.425.2133

Fax: 780.426.1590

GleaningsSpring 2015

Operation Friendship Seniors SocietyEdmonton’s Food Bank is a central warehouse which distributes food to over 210 agencies, churches, and food depots. In this edition, we would like to share with you some of the great work of Operation Friendship Seniors Society (OFSS). OFSS is one of the founding members of our organization and regularly picks up food from the Food Bank.

Operation Friendship Seniors Society first set up as the Operation Friendship Drop-In Centre in 1969. It began as a place where seniors who were displaced and isolated by urban renewal could come together and meet new friends.

As their mission to offer services to improve the quality of life for seniors grew, so did the scope of the programs they offered. Today, in addition to a drop-in centre, OFSS goes out in the community to help seniors and also operates seven buildings of non-institutional housing options. OFSS community outreach will visit seniors wherever they are in the community to link them with needed resources and services. Recreation programs offer dances, fi shing, bingo, arts and crafts and many other activities to help seniors stay connected and healthy. In the Helping Hands program, seniors can help by driving others to appointments or out on errands. The programs are designed to create a community of support. “This is a family. They look out for each other,” says Carmine Antonucci, OFSS Drop-In Manager.

OFSS comes to Edmonton’s Food Bank at least twice a week for food for their meal programs that offer three meals a day at the Drop-In Centre. Seniors who live in OFSS buildings nearby often come for the meals and stay for the friendship offered, often cooking and cleaning to help give back to the place that is the centre of their community.

Yours truly,

Marjorie Bencz,

Client StoryJody, a single mom, went back to school to improve her chances of getting a higher paying job. She wanted her son, Jake, to be able to play sports and have more opportunities than she could give him with her old job. During school she supported herself and Jake with the help of student funding but once she finished school that funding ended.

The university’s career office told Jody it takes an average of six months to find work! This was a shock. She had believed more education would make finding a job easier and quicker. While Jody and her son seek opportunities for a brighter future, she comes to the Food Bank for support.

Plant a Row, Grow a RowMany people love to garden but sometimes fi nd it hard to use all the produce they grow. The Food Bank’s Plant a Row, Grow a Row (PARGAR) program encourages gardeners to be outside enjoying our summer season while growing healthy food for themselves, their family and their community.

Root vegetables are best; however, any produce that can be easily handled and stored are welcome. Due to the fragile nature of fresh produce we ask that you drop donations off at our main warehouse. We are available to accept donations: Monday - Saturday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm as well as Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday evenings until 8:00 pm.

CanadaHelps & Online DonationsThe mission of CanadaHelps is to increase charitable giving across Canada by making it easier to donate and fundraise online. The CanadaHelps site provides safe and secure payment processing and instant tax receipting for Canadian charities. To make an online donation to Edmonton’s Food Bank, please go to our website (www.edmontonsfoodbank.com) and follow the links. One time or monthly donations can be made. Thank you for your support.

Craft Beer FestivalJune 5 & 6

A celebration of beer, food and community! The Edmonton Craft Beer Festival will be taking place at Northlands Expo Centre from 4pm to 10pm on Friday and 2pm to 9pm on Saturday. Attendees have the opportunity to sample from the wide variety of beers, ciders and meads, as well as attend the Brew Masters Seminars. Edmonton’s Food Bank will be on site in partnership with MoJo Photo, collecting food and monetary donations.

AMA Free Shredding Events

This is your opportunity to bring up to 6 boxes of personal documents for safe and immediate destruction and to learn tips for preventing identity theft. The events run from 10am to 3pm. Come early and bring your Food Bank donation! April 11 at AMA South Centre 10310 - 39A Ave.May 23 at Beulah Alliance Church 17504 - 98A Ave. June 6 at AMA Manning Crossing 5040 Manning Road.

Gleanings is published three times a year by Edmonton's Food Bank

GleaningsSpring 2015

Canstruction® EdmontonMay 2 - 20

The Canadian Progress Club presents Canstruction®, which combines the competitive spirit of a design/build competition with a unique way to help feed hungry people. Competing teams showcase their talents by designing giant sculptures made entirely out of canned food. Bring a food donation and see the displays at Enterprise Square, 10230 Jasper Ave.

Five Hole For FoodJuly 15 The Edmonton stop on their coast-to-coast tour is at a venue to be determined, from 4pm to 8pm. Register a team or come by for a quick drop-in game. 100% of all food and monetary donations will go to Edmonton’s Food Bank. Will you play hockey for food? Visit www.fiveholeforfood.com for more information.

Join Us for Upcoming Events!

Plant a Row, Grow a RowTo Feed a City 5K Fun RunMay 3, 10:30 am start

Participants will be provided a package of heritage seeds to deliver to Fort Edmonton Park where they will be planted, nurtured and harvested for the benefit of Food Bank clients. The 5K route will travel along the trails surrounding Fort Edmonton Park. Register online on the Running Room website (www.events.runningroom.com) or at the event.

heritage seeds to deliver to Fort Edmonton Park

Every Plate Full May 2 - 8

Created by Food Banks Canada, Every Plate Full will raise food and funds at a local level, stocking the shelves for the summer months. More information will be available soon. For updated information on all of our events please visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Edmonton’s Food Bank Fast Facts• Works collaboratively with more than 210 agencies, churches

and food depots throughout Edmonton. These agencies receive food from our warehouse to assist their clients.

• Serves more than 15,000 people per month through our hamper programs.

• In addition, over 410,000 meals and snacks are provided monthly through our affiliated agencies including 35 high risk schools.

• Approximately 40 percent of our clients are children under the age of 18.

• Provides food for special festive meals to the community.

• Supports community events such as Edmonton’s bi-annual Homeless Connect.

• More than 1,100 events are coordinated each year to raise food and funds to support our mission. These events also raise awareness of the solvable problem of hunger in our community.

• Collected, sorted, repackaged, and redistributed 3 million kilograms of food in 2014. The approximate value of this food is $16,500,000.

• Is a United Way agency, but does not receive any government funding for operations and services.

• Provides warehouse space for our provincial association, Alberta Food Banks.

• Is a recognized teaching facility for Concordia University’s Environmental Health Program.

• Accredited under Imagine Canada’s Standards Program for showing excellence and compliance in fi ve key areas of operations: Board governance, fi nancial accountability & transparency, fundraising, staff management, and volunteer involvement (www.imaginecanada.ca/standards).

20132014

September October November December

1,000

5,000

10,000

Clie

nts

15,000

12,183

13,571 13,870

10,586

12,034

14,96414,93314,095

Recent Increase in Food Bank Hampers