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 Our Charity of Choice for July and August is the Calgary Food Bank. Requests for food hampers are on the rise. Please consider making a financial contribution OR bring non-perishable food items to Hope. Over the years, The Calgary Food Bank has grown from a small not-for-profit in a church basement run by 4 volunteers, into a million-dollar charitable organization in a 60,000 square foot building with 9,000 volunteers. It all started in 1982 when different religious leaders in the community were already collecting food and giving to those in need. They decided to join forces to make the most impact within their community and the Calgary Food Bank was born. At the same time the enormous economic downturn in Alberta as a direct result of the National Energy Program forced thousands of oil industry workers into unemployment. Many declared bankruptcy and also remained unemployed or underemployed for five years. The need for a food bank was greater than ever.   During this time, the Food Bank also began to partner with manufacturers, transportation companies and distributors to redirect usable but unwanted food. Food shipments that may be turned down by retailers for many reasons such as outdated packaging; unsold product due to consumer shortfalls; as well as items past their best-before dates. This food was usable, fit for consumption and allowed us to fill pantries, not landfills, from the very beginning. Since the early days, partnerships were established with trucking companies and distribution centres to divert refused trailers of food from the landfill to the Food Bank. Then in 2007, the Calgary Food Bank formed a Food Industry Advisory Committee, consisting of industry senior management and owners. An infrastructure was created to redirect products that cannot be sold due to short date, damage, refusal, overstock, packaging issues, end of run or seasonal issues, at the same time maintaining a safe supply of nutritious food for clients and charities. By 2013, 82% of the food collected came from the food industry partnerships.   Contact coordinator@hopelutheran.ca if you have suggestions of charities you would like to see hope support in the upcoming year.