Rising food costs hitting Edmonton's Food Bank

Edmontonians aren’t the only ones struggling with rising food costs. Edmonton’s Food Bank has also been hit hard by price increases.

The tally is in from the organization’s annual Summer Food Drive, which ended Friday, and while $35,267 in cash was raised, only 22,761 kilograms of the 50,000-kilogram goal was raised.

The food bank’s Tamisan Bencz-Knight says the organization is moving out more food than that in a week.

“(In) June, we served over 35,000 people through our hamper program. That’s more than the population of Leduc,” she told CTV News Edmonton. “ And that is only the hamper program area.”

In addition to the hamper program, the food bank serves multiple organizations around the city, such as Hope Mission, Boyle Street Community Services, and the Bissell Centre.

Cash donations aren’t going as far as in previous years either.

“Cost of living, cost of food, cost of everything is going up, not only for Edmonton’s Food Bank, but for everyone else, and so even our bulk orders, those prices are going up.”

“(Executive director Marjorie Bencz) just did another order of over $200,000 worth of food to get trucked in here to help make sure we have stock on our shelves.”

You can donate to the food bank by looking for donation bins at major grocery stores, City of Edmonton fire stations, or the food bank warehouse at 11508 120 Street between 8:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday, or 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Cash donations can also be made online.