When the only veterans food bank in Canada closed its doors in Calgary it created frustration and confusion for veterans who were left wondering where they would go for food and help.
Monday evening, veterans and their families gathered for the official opening of the Veterans Association Food Bank which is located in Bay 14, 2916 -5 Avenue Northeast.
It is a 371 square metre space with plenty of room to accept food donations.
Dan McLean is the President of the Canadian Army Veterans Motorcycle Unit in Calgary and says this food bank is strictly for veterans.
“This food bank is going to be run by veterans for veterans and we won’t have problems with people telling us how to do this. We will be deciding how we’re helping our brothers and sisters in arms,” says McLean.
He says veterans don’t often visit a regular food bank because they feel they are taking food away from someone else.
McLean says there are older veterans but there is a growing number of younger veterans in their late 20s, 30s and 40s who have served in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Bosnia and Serbia and need help.
“We need to take care of them,” says McLean. “They have physical or mental problems so we want them to come here and because this is going to be a food bank run by veterans for veterans we can do other things. We can direct them to where they can go to get help and also provide a place to hang out with other veterans,” says McLean.
The food bank is accepting donations from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily and hopes to give out its first food hamper on Monday.
For more information on how you can donate food, money or your time call 403-367-8387.
