Food bank launches 45th anniversary campaign amid ‘highest sustained demand’

A basket of food at Edmonton's Food Bank on Aug. 10, 2025. (Marek Tkach/CTV News Edmonton)

Edmonton’s Food Bank is marking its 45th anniversary with a summer campaign to help families who rely on school meal programs.

“Summer break shouldn’t mean extra stress,” Edmonton’s Food Bank executive director Marjorie Bencz said. “While our hamper programs see numbers creeping up, we also feel an increased pressure from our community partners who support children’s summer camps and programs. Together, we can lighten the load for local parents and give every child in Edmonton a chance at a fun, well-fed, and worry-free summer.”

To honour the food bank’s anniversary, Epcor is matching the first $45,000 in donations.

The food bank is currently seeing its “highest sustained demand” with an average of 43,800 monthly users — more than double the amount compared to 30 years ago.

“Our 45th anniversary is bittersweet for us,” Bencz said. “It is a sad acknowledgement that Edmonton’s Food Bank is still needed today, when we were originally created to be only a temporary emergency relief.”

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