On Friday, March 17, a group of Airdrie residents once again came together to show their support for the Airdrie Food Bank.
Airdrie Music Lessons delivered a truckload of food as well as presented a cheque for $1000 to the food bank. The Foods and Fund Drive was held during their mid-year concert earlier this year. Anthony Burbidge, owner of Airdrie Music Lessons said that he was overwhelmed and taken back at the donations gathered.
“I was expecting maybe [someone] would bring a can or two. In the end to see that this is literally boxes and boxes – piles of food... The volume of it is really what surprised me,” he said.
Burbidge added that many families donated items to the silent auction which was part of the donation drive. While the auction may have been silent, the funds raised speak for themselves.
“The amount of love and support that was shown really stood out. We were really happy when lots of people came forward with prizes; everything from handmade crafts, Calgary Flames tickets and so no.”
It hasn’t gone unnoticed by him that after the COVID-19 pandemic, the cost of living has really been a struggle for most people. Christine Taylor, the Marketing Communication Manager for the Airdrie food bank underlined the same sentiment.
She said that the Food Bank has been busier than ever before – even during the heyday of the pandemic.
“I don't see it changing and I don't see that the grocery prices are changing. If anything, it might even get worse,” she said. “The Airdrie food bank relies 100 per cent on donations from the community. Airdrie as a whole is very gracious and the support, we have received from the community is phenomenal.”
According to statistics from the Airdrie Food Bank, 48 per cent of their clients are children. There were well over 10 thousand visits to the Pantry Program and over 44 thousand people were fed by the Food Bank.
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