ETS Stuff a Bus helping with hunger in Edmonton

The Edmonton Transit System (ETS) kicked off its annual Stuff a Bus campaign last Monday. Students from Our Lady of Mount Carmel as well as event attendees launched the event by loading non-perishable food items onto an ETS bus.

Now in its 23rd year, the ETS Stuff a Bus campaign partners with Edmonton’s Food Bank and Save-On-Foods to collect food donations to support the community’s less fortunate.

This is a very important event, particularly as we are in the colder months of the season and entering the holiday season. As well for us to help stock the shelves for Edmonton’s Food Bank. It is a critical year for them so the timing of this campaign really aligns with helping those in the community this time of the year. – Project Manager for ETS Stuff a Bus, Marvin Babiuk.

Since the Stuff a Bus campaign began in 1995, it has raised more than 400,000 kilograms of food and over $400,000 in cash donations.

Edmonton’s Food Bank helps feed 25,000 people each month through hamper programs. Additionally, the food bank provides food to soup kitchens and shelters.

“Some of those shelters are really dependent on food from Edmonton’s Food Bank, so for example, Hope  Mission comes up to three times a day to get food from Edmonton’s Food Bank,” explains Edmonton’s Food Bank Executive Director, Marjorie Bencz.

Bencz explains that approximately 40 per cent of users at Edmonton’s Food Bank are under the age of 18.

ETS buses will be accepting donations at various Save-On-Foods locations between Nov. 29 to Dec. 2.

The goal this year is to fill 15 buses.

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