EDMONTON -- Calling it "the worst campaign in the last five years," the Edmonton Food Bank is putting out a call for donors to step up with just over a week left until Christmas.
“The demand is going up and the donations just aren’t there,” said Carly Kincaid-Williams with Edmonton’s Food Bank.
“We’re nowhere near our target. Our goal is $2-million and 370,000 kilograms of food, right now we are at not even $1-million and 200,000 of food.”
Kincaid-Williams reminds Edmontonians that friends, neighbours, anyone could one day end up needing to use the food bank.
“You never know when you will be the one who has to access, so if you give now, absolutely give. Whether it’s a large donation, whether it’s a small donation it goes a long way.”
Other charities in Edmonton, while not at their goal yet, have had better luck during their holiday drives.
The Salvation Army is in the final stretch of its Christmas Kettle campaign, they’ve gotten to 73 per cent of their donation goal.
“But our goal is $550,000 dollars so we're looking for Edmonton to continue their support and they've always come through in the past,” said Maj. Karen Hoeft with the Salvation Army.
The Christmas Bureau also held its annual Breakfast Tuesday morning, trying for an extra push.
“This morning we were at 39 per cent of our $1.3 million dollar goal and now we're just kind of wavering at the 60 per cent mark so we could not be happier,” said Katherine Stavropulous with the Christmas Bureau.
Adopt-A-Teen, a branch of the Christmas Bureau in Edmonton, also celebrated reaching their 60 per cent mark.
The organization provides $50 Walmart gift cards to teenagers between 13 and 17 years old, their goal is $275,000 which would be enough to give gifts to 5,500 teens.
“It's always a bit of a struggle. I mean we're happy with how things are going but we would like to make sure that we get that last bit in and reach our goal," said Adopt-A-Teen Chair Andrea Peyton.
Kincaid-Williams hopes the giving spirit can stay strong because while she says the food bank can provide Christmas meals to everyone who needs one, they still have 2020 to look to.
“We will never close our doors, we will always have our doors open but it’s going to be tough. 60 per cent of 2020 comes from our Christmas campaign so what we can offer in 2020 is going to depend on what we get now.”
Edmontonians can donate non-perishable food to the food bank at all major grocery stores and City of Edmonton Fire Stations. Monetary donations are accepted online.
