Alberta food banks, community organizations to receive $10M from province

Alberta announced $10 million in funding for food banks and community organizations across the province on Monday.

As part of the promise, food banks will receive $3.7 million this month.

The Family and Community Support Services Association of Alberta has already received $900,000 to administer food security grants and to shelters.

Another $4.1 million will be allocated through food security grants.

Applications will open this month to organizations promoting food security, including smaller organizations that provide culturally appropriate food.

Food Banks Alberta will receive $2.2 million to develop a program to coordinate the needs of food banks and other operators during natural disasters.

"We saw an unprecedented year of emergencies with our wildfire season, and we do see a need to continue to be able to work in a more formal way to be able to help food banks be able to help us be able to meet the needs of Albertans in emergency situations," said Jason Nixon, minister of seniors, community and social services at a Monday news conference.

Food bank officials say the money comes as they're serving record numbers of clients.

"In August we served 37,400 people through our hamper program alone, which is a record high for our organization," said Marjorie Bencz of Edmonton's Food Bank.

"I think that this beautiful gift from the Province of Alberta will help bridge us and provide some much-needed support as we go through these challenges."

"Since 2019, the Calgary Food Bank has seen a 140 per cent increase in client visits," said Melissa From of the Calgary Food Bank.

"In the last year, we've seen a 34 per cent increase in working Albertans coming to our food bank in Calgary, that is folks who are working every day and just can't make ends meet."

The province also allocated $10 million to food security in 2022, and $6 million from 2020 to 2021.