About us

This past year has continued to challenge Calgarians from all sides. At the Calgary Food Bank, there is increasing demand month over month, year over year. Those who are accessing food support have finally exhausted all their resources. Many are still unemployed or underemployed.

Although this has been the dominant theme for the past few years, the prevailing resilient attitude from clients, donors and partners is undeniable. From conversation to connection, clients are leaving with heads held high – their families are being fed and they now have resources to help navigate their current situation. Calgarians support their fellow Calgarians with generous donations to ensure their neighbours in need have quality food to help them through their crisis. Agency partners that share our vision for a hunger-free community are collaborating with us to help solve the underlying root causes of food insecurity.

The Calgary Food Bank has formalized a results-based management and evaluation approach to our programs and processes. Research-based feedback lets us better communicate our outcomes within and outside the organization, and performance measures will guide our program decisions for the benefit of the clients and agencies we support.

It has been a reflective time for the Board and staff as we put the final touches on the strategic direction for the Calgary Food Bank. The process of review and refinement has been affirming in our purpose, resulting in new values for the organization that will propel our mission: Together, we fight hunger and its root causes because no one should go hungry.

“Always err on the side of compassion.” – Claudia Tennant
“An Elder is a person who walks the talk.” – Theresa Whiskeyjack

I find myself thinking of Claudia and Theresa’s words regularly. Their words of wisdom are a combination of experience and shared knowledge, and they provide me with guidance and focus every day. These words are especially poignant as the Calgary Food Bank comes through one of its most difficult, yet rewarding years.

The economic upheaval continues to impact so many lives, in so many ways. Social, cultural, and environmental challenges are manifesting in a city that has not seemed to catch a break since 2008’s global financial meltdown and the subsequent 2015 Alberta downturn.

We can report that our impact is a stronger and more resilient community, where people are connected and no longer hungry. In the past year, the Calgary Food Bank has been able to meet the needs in the community as we have been sharing and listening; sharing food and listening to clients and partners.

The collective impact of food and community is no less than lifesaving. We have found that the sooner we connect people to services that address the root cause of their crisis, the sooner the healing and recovery can begin. When clients take advantage of our proven partners’ programs, we can report that the need for emergency food hampers decreases. We can also confirm that people are on the road to resiliency, with 26 per cent of hamper recipients reporting wages rather than assistance programs as their primary income.

There has been a greater awareness of the scope and impact of our programs and services. We can demonstrate that we do more than just provide food; our programming changes lives through specialized hampers, food sharing, and connections to services. We deliver programming using a defined theory of change – logic models that demonstrate desired program outcomes, plus performance measurements to ensure that we adapt and focus our efforts on where we can make the most positive impact. Our programming has improved through rigorous review and adaptation, letting us deliver more value to the people we serve.

We continue to work with governments at all levels and share our data to help them make informed policy decisions around food security. Research shows that if you are receiving provincial government social support, you will need the food bank because benefits have not kept up with the changing nature of employment, cost of living, and other factors. We can confirm that individuals and single parent families have the least programming or benefits support in overcoming their struggles, and that food hampers can become a lifeline.

This past year, the Calgary Food Bank once again received top grades from both Moneysense and Charity Intelligence for our abilities and impact. Not only are we held accountable by these watchdogs, but we are also held to a high standard by our donors. We are community owned and community supported and we take the stewarding of all donations, large or small, by the tin or the truckload, very seriously.

Every day, we follow the wisdom of Claudia and Theresa: be compassionate and walk the talk. Together, we fight hunger and its root causes because no one should go hungry.