Calgary Food Bank gets boost from volunteer gardeners
The Calgary Food Bank is facing a challenge – demand for food is high, while donations are down.
Tuesday, a dedicated group of volunteer gardeners brought out the shovels and hoes to provide a much-needed boost.
The volunteers, mostly retired TransAlta employees, have been tending a nearly 1.5-acre garden east of Calgary since spring.
Now, it's harvest time, and every single vegetable they reap will be donated to the food bank.
This single harvest is expected to yield 70,000 pounds of fresh produce, surpassing the amount collected in many citywide food drives.
The value of this donation is boosted by the fact it's all locally grown, healthy food.
"One of the things that's really important to us at the Calgary Food Bank is not just to provide food to those who are in need in our community, but to provide nourishing food," said Melissa From, Calgary Food Bank CEO.
"This allows us to offer fresh, local produce to our clients, at least for a short period of time in the fall."
The volunteers say they get as much out of their hard work in satisfaction, as the food bank does in produce.
"There's a huge need there," says Fred Ritter, volunteer and TransAlta retiree.
"And it continues. We hope to continue this for years to come. It is very satisfying to be able to benefit people in need."
Eagle Lake Professional Landscape Supply plays a crucial role by donating the land and providing irrigation throughout the summer.
"We're also rotating the crops so we're getting new ground each year," said Nathan Gill with Eagle Lake.
"We're tilling in compost every spring, so we're enriching the soil."
A dedicated group of volunteer gardeners brought out the shovels and hoes to provide the Calgary Food Bank a much-needed boost.
This harvest comes at a critical time for the Calgary Food Bank.
A recent citywide food drive fell short of expectations, leaving the food bank's shelves "a little bit emptier than we'd like to see them," according to From.
"Unfortunately, what we are seeing is that we are struggling a bit on the donation side, and particularly on the food donation side," she said.
Over the past 25 years, with the garden at Eagle Lake and another closer to Calgary, the volunteers say they've harvested just over 700,000 pounds of fresh produce.
Their sights are set on reaching a million pounds within the next few years.
The Calgary Food Bank currently supplies food hampers for up to 750 households every day.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre writes to GG calling for House recall, confidence vote after Singh declares he's ready to bring Liberals down
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has written to Gov. Gen. Mary Simon, imploring her to 'use your authority to inform the prime minister that he must' recall the House of Commons so a non-confidence vote can be held. This move comes in light of NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh publishing a letter stating his caucus 'will vote to bring this government down' sometime in 2025.
At least 2 dead and 60 hurt after a car drives into a German Christmas market in a suspected attack
A car plowed into a busy outdoor Christmas market in the eastern German city of Magdeburg on Friday, killing at least two people and injuring at least 60 others in what authorities suspect was an attack.
Judge sentences Quebecer convicted of triple murder who shows 'no remorse'
A Quebecer convicted in a triple murder on Montreal's South Shore has been sentenced to life in prison without chance of parole for 20 years in the second-degree death of Synthia Bussieres.
Poilievre to Trump: 'Canada will never be the 51st state'
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is responding to U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s ongoing suggestions that Canada become the 51st state, saying it will 'never happen.'
16-year-old German exchange student dies after North Vancouver crash
A 16-year-old high school student from Germany who was hit by a Jeep in North Vancouver, B.C., last weekend has died in hospital, authorities confirmed.
Canadiens executive says he has 'no concern' about members of the front office traveling to Russia
Montreal executive vice president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton said he has “no concern” about members of the Canadiens’ front office travelling to Russia with the country’s war in Ukraine ongoing.
Kelly Clarkson's subtle yet satisfying message to anyone single this Christmas
The singer and daytime-talk show host released a fireside video to accompany her 2021 holiday album, “When Christmas Comes Around” that she dubbed, “When Christmas Comes Around…Again.
Speeding drivers get holiday surprise from 'Officer Grinch'
Drivers in the Florida Keys who exceed the speed limit in school zones may run into a well-known gloomy green creature and get a surprising 'gift.'
'I understand there's going to be a short runway,' new minister says after Trudeau shuffles cabinet
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau added eight Liberal MPs to his front bench and reassigned four ministers in a cabinet shuffle in Ottawa on Friday. But as soon as they were sworn-in, they faced questions about the political future of their government, and their leader.