Food Bank takes on hunger at West Edmonton Mall

By Trevor Robb

Volunteers from the Edmonton Food Bank set up shop at West Edmonton Mall Monday to accept donations to help raise awareness and end hunger, leading up to ‘Hunger Awareness Day’ on Tuesday, May 31.

Kelly Cailliau, resource development coordinator with the Edmonton Food Bank, was also at West Edmonton Mall to help raise awareness about a cause, that she says, can sometimes go over-looked.

“Hunger is an issue, even in our city. Some people think it’s only a problem over seas or in the inner-city, but hunger is an issue throughout Edmonton,” said Cailliau.

Cailliau continued to say that 15,000 Edmontonians every month eat food through the hamper program offered by the Edmonton Food Bank. Additionally, over 350,000 snacks and meals are prepared throughout the city and distributed by the Edmonton Food Bank every year, said Cailliau

“It’s just to become informed about hunger and to make a change,” said Cailliau.

Across Canada, food banks are teaming up with Kraft Canada, through the ‘Kraft Hunger Challenge’ to help reduce the number of Canadians who go to bed hungry. From May 31 to June 10, Kraft Canada will match any donations, dollar-for-dollar, made to any community food bank up to $200,000.

The Edmonton Food Bank will be at the Oliver Square Safeway tomorrow throughout the  lunch and supper hour collecting donations. Edmontonains can also purchase $5 and $10 pre-packaged food bags provided by Safeway. The bags contain canned goods and other non-perishable foods.

“Those are items that are on our most-needed items list,” said Cailliau. “It’s a great way for Canada Safeway to partner with us and to offer a simple and easy way for their customers to make a donation to the food bank.”

Donations can also be made online through the Food Banks website: