This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Campbell Canada for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.
Recently I had the chance to tour the Edmonton Food Bank to see how they work to serve the Edmonton community. Job loss, family break-up, natural disaster, or even the 1/3 of Canadians that still work and are faced with no money after their bills have been paid shows that needing to access the Food Bank can happen suddenly and to anyone.
In an average month, the Edmonton Food Bank website statistics say that over 200,000 people receive food hampers and approximately 40% of that number are children under the age of 18 years old. As a mom to 3 kids of my own this is heartbreaking and unimaginable but yet for many, this a reality.
According to Food Banks of Canada Hunger Count 2016, in the month of March 2016, 863,492 people received food from a Food Bank in Canada. What’s even scarier is that when you compare those accessing and Alberta Food Bank in 2008 to those in 2016 the number of people needing food hampers has grown by 136.1%.
While these numbers are staggering and heartbreaking Campbell Canada is working to help combat hunger through its annual Campbell’s Help Hunger Disappear® program.
How Campbell Canada is helping Food Banks across Canada
Campbell Canada believes that everyone has the right to have access to real, wholesome food. By participating in Campbell Canada’s Help Hunger Disappear® program, Campbell Canada will donate money to food banks to give access to fresh produce to those in need. With the amount of Goldfish that we purchase alone in this household supporting this campaign will be easy, and a no-brainer.
4 ways that you can help the Edmonton Food Bank
Helping the Edmonton Food Bank, and any local food bank in your area, is easy and there are several ways that you can help out.
- Grow some food– Being the start of gardening season consider participating in the ‘Plant a Row Grow a Row” by growing fresh food in your garden and donating it when it’s ready!
- Donate food & other items – Baby formula, diapers (especially size 5 & 6), canned meat, canned beans with or without pork, egg cartons (for eggs), grocery bags, and more.
- Donate money – Each year the Food Bank buys between $500,000-$600,000 in food, every food hamper has eggs included in it and last year they spent over $200,000 alone on eggs. Cash donations not only help to cover the cost of food but operating costs as well.
- Volunteer – As a parent, I believe that volunteering is something that my kids should do. There are many volunteer opportunities with the Edmonton Food Bank and school aged kids are welcome to help out with a parent or guardian.
Helping to combat hunger is something that we can (and should) all help with. Learn more at the Help Hunger Disappear® website today.
