'This isn't sustainable': Calgary Food Bank seeing high demand for emergency food support

Every day at the Calgary Food Bank, 500 food hampers are made for more than 1,100 people.

A steady stream of vehicles pull into the pick-up area.

The clientele has changed as inflation rises, making the price of groceries and utilities more expensive.

Shawna Ogston, communications and media relations supervisor for the food bank, says people from all quadrants of the city are hungry.

"Take a look in the mirror," she said.

"It could be you, it could be me, it could be your neighbour – there are so many people that have had to come to us for emergency food support because they've used up all of the resources. So, it's a lot of working people that just can't make ends meet."

Ogston says the Christmas season is when the most food and cash are typically donated.

"Hunger and making a difference in the community is top of mind for everyone and January just dramatically dips. The support of food and funds, even time sort of dips in January and February," she said.

Michael Pasma, interim president at the food bank, says right now, the facility is in need of pretty much everything, including volunteers.

"Well, we always talk about food, funds and time. So, food, there's opportunity to give either at events happening around the city or at your local grocery store, there will be a donation box," Pasma said.

"Funds, you can go to our website, you can click 'donate now.'

"One thing we would also love to emphasize is volunteering. So, when we bring food in, we need the ability to sort that food and make it available for Calgarians … people donating their time is huge for us."

Joanne Janzen has volunteered for five years and on Tuesday was sorting donations with her friends.

She likes to help out where needed and knows how hard it can be for struggling families right now, especially when she looks at her own bills.

"I'm seeing it in the utility bills for sure," Janzen said.

"They're very high and also in food costs, groceries. Just, you know, day-to-day shopping, right?"

Sean Clarke started volunteering in 2000 and brings prepared hampers out to waiting clients.

"Over the years that I've been here, the clientele has changed immensely," Clarke said.

"Where people were just making ends meet, now I hear stories where they can't and we'll bring hampers to them and they're brought to tears just because they've never been in this position before."

Clarke has even seen former volunteers pulling up in need of a hamper.

"Just the last shift I was on, I saw a fellow volunteer give out a hug and that's not something we've seen before but I get it," he said.

"I think people just need that little extra help and security that they just haven't had over the year."

The 34th Annual Mayor's Food Drive in support of the Calgary Food Bank has raised close to $500,000 over the holidays.

For the first time, Mayor Jyoti Gondek challenged councillors to raise funds and collect food donations.

Together, they raised $79,000 but Ward 5 Coun. Raj Dhaliwal brought in $19,531 to win the challenge and the inaugural golden lettuce trophy.

"I dreamt about this since I was a little kid," he joked.

"Thank you to the mayor for starting this challenge. At the end of the day, the winners are Calgarians – those who need help, right?"

"It's important to make sure that we're doing everything we can for Calgarians in need," Gondek said.

"I was just so incredibly impressed with my council colleagues."

Ogston says this event was a good opportunity for all the city councillors to learn first-hand about the food bank and see the needs of their constituents along with the organizations that help them right now.

"This isn't sustainable," she said.

"Food banks across the country can't keep doing this. We need to ask our decision-makers to change some policies or look at living wages because the need for food isn't about there not being any food – it's about not having an income to buy the food."

Learn more about the food bank at calgaryfoodbank.com.