Season of giving kicks off across Edmonton

Halfway through November, holiday campaigns are kicking off across the city. Edmonton’s Food Bank is one organization asking for help during the festive season. Tim Roar is in his second year volunteering and he’s seeing the need grow.

“It doesn’t take much to look around and see what unemployment numbers are up. I expect this winter’s going to be harder than last winter, and last winter was hard,” Roar said.

The Food Bank is busier than ever as they’ve helped 23,119 people in October alone. That number is up by 1,000 people from the previous year. The goal is to raise $2,000,000 in donations and 370,000 pounds of food during the holidays.

“Demand is up, no doubt.”

Carly Kincaid Williams, Food Bank Special Events & Communications Coordinator

“To help these people it takes Edmontonians reaching into their own pockets and reaching into their own hearts and making donations of food and money and even coming down and volunteering,” Williams said.

The Christmas Bureau expects the demand for its hampers to rise by 10 per cent.

“The people that are receiving the services are grateful, they’re wonderful. We’re just so happy to help but we’ve had so many stories of people who have been involved on the volunteer side, that deliver hampers or have been involved that way and it’s almost like they’re getting even more out of it,” said Katherine Stavropoulos, Marketing & Communications Manager for the Christmas Bureau.

Over 400 events are happening around the city this month that support the Food Bank. The holiday giving campaign lasts until January 10.

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