EDMONTON -- The LoveGood Food Exchange Box, known for providing families and individuals in need with access to non-perishable food items, is set to celebrate one year in the community on May 12.

Quinn Wade with the LoveGood box told CTV News Edmonton in 2020 they piloted the box “with four packages of ramen noodles to see how it would go.” When they came back that afternoon to check on it, they discovered it was jammed full of items and it “just took off” from there.

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There are a total of nine food boxes posted up around the city. According to Wade, they plan to expand to 13 in the near future with one headed to Red Deer.

“We’ve got everything from seniors to homeless youth to parents needing food,” Wade said. “That really struck a chord with me as I’ve been there myself.”

Organizations as well as community members have been swinging by the boxes to donate. Wade said even people without the means have been dropping off items when they can.

“When you have someone that you know doesn’t even have a house that comes by and puts in maybe a can of soup or a can of beans, when you see them doing that it’s incredible.”

“It works a lot like a little library where you take what you need, and try to leave some for others too,” Wade added.

The boxes are currently sanitized twice a day and are stocked at least once a day by volunteers and guardians.

For anyone who is interested in being a guardian for one of the boxes send an email to: lovegoodbox@gmail.com.

There’s also an interactive map online showing where all the boxes are located.