The Calgary Food Bank opens downtown location to better serve clients

The Calgary Food Bank has opened a new downtown branch amid some of the highest grocery inflation rates seen in years.

The Calgary Food Bank has officially opened a new location downtown to provide accessible food support to Calgarians.

The facility is in the Neoma building at 706 7th Ave. S.W. and being right on the LRT line, it is convenient for clients.

“Our strategic plan calls for innovative ways to ensure that food support is available when and where it is needed most,” said Melissa From, Calgary Food Bank president and CEO.

“By placing a distribution site in the heart of downtown, right on the CTrain line, we are taking a critical step toward reducing barriers and increasing accessibility for vulnerable Calgarians.”

The facility will add an additional 200 emergency food hampers per day in addition to the 800 being distributed at the main location.

It’s a service that’s been life-saving for Sami Altaie and his friends.

“Honestly, at the end of the month, we have nothing to eat. But with this organization, we can survive to the end of the month,” he said.

The new location allows clients to pre-book to shop for their preferred items.

“No one in Calgary should go hungry. That is why our city is so proud to have organizations like the Calgary Food Bank, which provides safe, accessible food for families in need across our city,” said Mayor Jeromy Farkas.

“Giving their clients the ability to choose the food that is right for them and their families is a huge step that will help ensure those relying on the amazing team at the Calgary Food Bank are able to find what works best for them.”

Since 1982, the Calgary Food Bank has grown from a small, volunteer-driven initiative to a multimillion-dollar charitable food distribution hub.

In 2024, it launched a five-year strategic plan to make food accessible to everyone in Calgary.

Food Prices

The new location comes at a time when Calgarians are facing increasing food costs.

The latest data from Statistics Canada shows food inflation is at its highest since the end of 2023.

Prices rose 4.7 per cent year over year in November, after increasing 3.4 per cent in October.

“Canadians, especially Albertans, are stretching at the edge of their budgets and they’re supplementing their budgets with credit,” said Stacy Yanchuk Oleksy, Money Mentors CEO.