Dear Friends,

Albert Einstein said: “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

While working at Edmonton’s Food Bank, we tend to see and meet people who view the world as everything is a miracle or as an opportunity rather than becoming defeated by the issues of poverty and hunger that exists in our community. We know the stats and we know the stories but we envision a community that is hunger-free and we work towards that goal. Each day, we distribute food to over 210 agencies, churches and food depots. Each day, we devote some of our efforts to working with other community partners to reducing hunger in more proactive ways.

As reported in our spring edition of Gleanings, the Board of Edmonton’s Food Bank reaffirmed our Mission and Vision and approved five new Strategic Directions to guide our work between 2014 and 2020. Our Strategic Directions, in concert with our continued work, will guide and focus our efforts. Six goals supported by objectives have been developed to further guide this work. These six goals are:

1. To undertake a range of outreach activities to influence attitudes and actions related to food security.2. To influence government social policy to effectively address poverty and food insecurity.3. Work with our partners to develop and implement proactive solutions to the food security challenges facing our clients and those living in poverty.4. To effectively distribute food to the hungry.5. To secure the resources needed to fulfill the Mission of the Food Bank. (This includes friends, funds, food and facility requirements).6. To develop and sustain Food Bank staff, Board and volunteer capacity to support the effective implementation of the Food Bank’s Mission.

Implementing these goals and objectives challenges us to do things differently. Change is required and change takes time. In addition, there is a need to monitor our internal capacity to ensure that the Food Bank maintains its standard of excellence. We want to maintain our accreditation by Imagine Canada as well as remain an approved teaching facility of Concordia University’s Environmental Health Program.

This newsletter also includes details about our September 24 Open House. We hope that you can attend this Open House and find out more about our work.

We appreciate your ongoing support as we embark on our journey guided by our new Strategic Plan. Your kind contributions of funds, food and support are appreciated as we work towards a hunger-free community.

Yours truly,

Marjorie Bencz, CM Executive Director

@yegfoodbank

Edmonton's Food Bank

www.edmontonsfoodbank.com

Message from the Executive DirectorContaCt InformatIon

Executive Director: Marjorie Bencz, CM

Director of Operations: Mark Doram

Warehouse: 11508 - 120 Street

Edmonton, AB T5G 2Y2

Mailing Address: PO Box 62061

Edmonton, AB T5M 4B5

Phone: 780.425.2133

Fax: 780.426.1590

GleaningsSummer 2014

Hidden BarriersIt was late one afternoon when a single dad came in with his tiny daughter in a stroller. It had been a very long walk from their home near Clarke Stadium to our warehouse and without a phone to call ahead, he wasn’t sure we could help.

Exhausted and hungry, dad and his daughter ate as he repacked the hamper boxes we prepared into several grocery bags. The next thing anyone knew, dad and his daughter were standing outside, food left behind, and dark clouds were gathering.

When the Hamper Line Coordinator approached to find out how he could help, the look on the dad’s face said it all. Distraught, he said he had no idea what to do and broke down. How would he get all the food home? What would he and his daughter do without it? Rest assured that a solution was found and dad and his daughter were well taken care of.

Monetary donations are essential for our food purchases and operations.

Donations can be made to the Food Bank volunteers at the Heritage Festival.

Alternatively, cheques or money orders can be mailed to:

Edmonton’s Food BankP.O. Box 62061, Edmonton, AB

T5M 4B5

or donate securely online: www.edmontonsfoodbank.com

Brown Bag Sponsors

Edmonton Collector ConChateau Lacombe (10111 Bellamy Hill Rd NW)August 10 -10 am to 5 pm

Please bring a donation for the Edmonton Food Bank and enter to win some great prizes!

Random Acts of Kindness• “I’m Japanese and after the war if people hadn’t helped

us out we wouldn’t have survived; so I come to the Food Bank once in a while when I can and help out. I’m selfish, I do good because it feels good.” This donor, wishing to remain anonymous, brought in four and a half pounds of shortbread for the volunteer coffee room, 200 neatly folded grocery bags for our clients, and a $100 donation towards our work.

• What do you do when you run out of napkins before the BBQ fundraiser even starts?! You go to the nearest grocery store and buy some, that’s what. While Don, a Food Bank volunteer, was about to buy a big supply of napkins, a lady behind him piped up … “I’ll pay for those.” Thanks Brooks, for covering the cost of napkins for our BBQ.

Open HouseWednesday, September 24 - 4 pm to 8 pm Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes? We’d love to show you! Staff and volunteers are going to throw open the doors for an inside look. Tours of our facility and operation will be conducted from 4 pm to 8 pm. We will have some special activities, exciting guests and we will share some new elements of our work. And, in keeping with our commitment to let no one leave without something to eat, a free BBQ will be held in our parking lot starting at 4 pm and running until 7:30 pm. For more information and to let us know you are coming, please call Special Events at 780.425.2133.

Gleanings is published three times a year by Edmonton's Food Bank

Give 30June 28 to September 5

Give 30 is designed to motivate people to donate a portion of the money they save by fasting during Ramadan. Ramadan is about giving, building community, and understanding the challenges of hunger. Everyone can participate in the spirit of Ramadan regardless of faith. Contact our Special Events team at 780.425.2133 for donation options or visit: www.give30.ca

Join us for our upcoming events!

Purolator Tackle Hunger Football Game September 26 - 8 pm Kickoff

Edmonton Eskimos vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders Purolator and Edmonton’s Food Bank volunteers will be out collecting monetary and non-perishable food donations at each entrance.

City Wide Door-to-DoorSeptember 27

Watch for your flyer! Last year the drive raised over 60,000 kilograms of food that filled our shelves.

Edmonton Public Library Food4FinesOctober 4

Edmonton Public Library will waive up to $25 in book fines for a donation to the Food Bank. Please visit: www.epl.ca

In MemoryIt is with tremendous sadness that we share the news of the loss of a beloved volunteer and friend. Jim and Virginia Price have been by our sides for over 18 years in the fight against hunger. We join Virginia in mourning the loss of her husband, partner and friend, Jim. He will be deeply missed. Godspeed, Jim.

Heritage FestivalAugust 2, 3 & 4 - Hawrelak Park

Come Savour the sights, sounds and aromas from around the world. The event is free to attend but Edmonton’s Food Bank will be out all weekend to accept food and monetary donations and of course, those unused food tickets! This is the Edmonton Food Bank’s single largest food and fundraiser of the year. For more information about the Festival, please visit: www.heritage-festival.com

GleaningsSummer 2014

Jim and Virginia at our 2014 Volunteer Appreciation Dinner.

OktoberfestNorthlands Expo Centre (7515-118 Ave.)October 3 & 4

Food and monetary donations gratefully accepted at the Food Bank booth. Stop by to enter the Putt Challenge. For more info visit: www.albertabeerfestivals.com