Grace Satellite Food Bank makes 20 hampers (up from 15) to support Beltline neighbours
In October 2020, Grace became a satellite depot for the Calgary Food Bank, supplying 15 hampers per week to residents of the Beltline neighbourhood, where the church is found. There is high need in the area – 3% of the demand from the Calgary Food Bank comes from the Beltline (only the neighbourhood of Forrest Lawn has a higher need at 4%). Offering hampers at Grace saves users a trip to the main Calgary Food Bank, which is 7 inconvenient kilometers away, taking over an hour to access by public transit.
Pandemic Drives Ever-Increasing Demand for Emergency Food Hampers
Prior to the pandemic, demand for food hampers was stable Maria Topolnyski, Program Coordinator, Calgary Food Bank, stated in an email. There was even a dip in demand when government benefits kicked in. However, when those benefits ended demand for the Emergency Food Hamper program surged by 44% between 2020 and 2021. During the first three months of 2022, the demand was 24% greater than the first three months of 2021. To help meet the demand, the Calgary Food Bank asked satellite locations to increase weekly hamper loads.
Grace Increases Weekly Hampers from 15 to 20
Program Coordinator Marlene Doherty said it was an adjustment that volunteers embraced to support neighbours in need. “Over time, we have built relationships and understand their particular needs.” The offerings now also include donations of laundry soap, dish soap, etc., so people can save funds for other items.
Demand for Food Hampers Expected to Increase Alongside Cost of Living
As the cost of housing, utilities and food increases, demand for the Calgary Food Bank is expected to grow. Maria states that “all too often, food is the first thing cut from family budgets, and while we are working to meet the needs of Calgarians, we cannot do it alone. Through community supporters like Grace Presbyterian Church, we can fight hunger and its root causes together.”
Why Being a Volunteer and Being a Good Neighbour Matter
Jan Dewar volunteers at the Grace satellite location and states that it was a way to stay connected during the pandemic, when many volunteering opportunities were restricted, while supporting the community around the church. “It’s a pretty simple task – sorting and assembling food hampers but it means a lot to households who might be struggling through a tough time in their lives. Participating, even in a background way, lessens my sense of isolation,” she says. “I can’t fix the reasons why someone is turning to a Food Bank, but I can, in a small way, make it easier for their household to have enough food while they deal with other things in their life.”
Grace’s mission is to grow disciples of Jesus Christ to love our neighbours and effect social change, and that means being a good neighbour. “Neighbours help each other,” Jan says. “We are part of the neighbourhood. What should we do? Be who you are; use what you have; do what matters. What do we have? We have a building. We have a near-downtown location. We have volunteers and wonderful facilities staff that are all about solutions. They figure out how to adapt the space and make it work safely for everyone. It’s great to be surrounded by that positivity.”
Thursdays are Food Bank Day at Grace, a day when volunteers, community members, and organizers come together over food as neighbours.
For more information on the Calgary Food Bank, please visit www.calgaryfoodbank.com.
The Satellite Food Bank at Grace is run by the Engagement and Service Committee. If you are interested in volunteering opportunities, please email Cindy Stephenson, Coordinator of Volunteers at volunteers@gracecalgary.org.
