2020 was a year like no other in recent memory as the Covid-19 Pandemic touched every single person in our community in some way. Despite the many unknowns the pandemic presented in the early part of the year, we were able to continue to support the community because of the generosity of Calgarians.
As 2020 wound down, many of us felt it was all we could do to just hunker down and “get it over with,” but for so many kind and thoughtful people in our city, the opposite was true. The very best of who we are as a community shone brighter than ever this holiday season.
What is highlighted in times of disaster – be it fire, flood or pandemic – is that food needs to be part of the response; unfortunately, it is rarely considered. Policy around food does not engage with the established food service charities providing the stop gap. Food banks and food service organizations are experts in the implementation of food safety, public health and social wellbeing. We advocate for change and client security in the long run.
This past year has continued to challenge Calgarians from all sides. There is increasing demand month over month, year over year. 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.
The face of hunger can be anyone: our friends, our neighbours, our family. Anyone, from any background, and in every neighbourhood. All sizes of households: wage earners, EI recipients, students and veterans. We know it is important to build a picture of who is coming to the food bank as it alerts us to changes in the community.