Stuff- A- Bus need for donations up

Economic downturn has increased demand by 20%, food bank says

Calgary Transit will park buses outside Calgary Co- op locations this weekend, hoping to fill them all to the rim with donations to support the Calgary Food Bank.

Officials with the 23rd annual Stuff- A- Bus event, in partnership with Calgary Co- op and XL103 radio, say with the recent economic downturn, the Calgary Food Bank’s demand for donations is higher than ever.

Cindy Drummond, food industry co- ordinator with the Calgary Food Bank, estimates demand is already up about 20 per cent from last year.

“I don’t think we’ve seen the worst of it,” she said, explaining that layoffs in Calgary’s oilpatch due to slumping oil prices are expected to continue.

“There’s a tremendous trickledown effect. All those people that were just laid off this fall, they’re still going through their own resources, but then they will come to see us.”

Drummond says the Stuff- A- Bus event is a critical component of their fall hamper food drive.

“We just want people to know every little bit helps, even if you can only give a little, it means a lot.”

Buses will be parked Saturday, Nov. 7 from 9 a. m. to 4 p. m. outside every Calgary Co- op location in the city. Calgarians can bring

All those people that were just laid off this fall, they’re still going through their own resources, but then they will come to see us.

non- perishable food donations or cash to support the Calgary Food Bank.

Volunteers will be on site to accept the food items and provide tax receipts for cash donations. Co- op has pre- packaged food hampers for sale, or you can check out the food bank’s wish list of the most needed items which include peanut butter, pasta, baby food and canned food.

Last year the city collected 36,300 kilograms of food and another $ 40,000 in cash donations.