EdmontonFoodBank

City Farms is a 5 acre plot of land at the Old Man Creek Nursery. Since 2020 the land has been planted and tended by an army of volunteers to grow fresh produce for Edmonton’s Food Bank. It is estimated that 250,000 pounds of produce were harvested and donated to Edmonton’s Food Bank since the garden program began four years ago. Shutting down City Farms will be a blow to the Edmonton Food Bank and the thousands of people who benefit from the fresh produce.

Tamiscan-Bencz Knight, who is a manager at Edmonton’s Food Bank said the Foodbank is exploring options to keep a version of City Farms running. She hopes increasing the volunteer force and supplying all the seeds might be part of the answer.

If you'd like to help with seeds, volunteering or another creative solution please contact the Edmonton Food Bank.

The Edmonton Foodbank has the future in sight, encouraging people to get into gardening. They are providing seeds for those interested in gardening. Whether people get their seeds for free or pay for them, the food bank knows planting them in spring will provide a harvest in the fall which means less demand on the food bank and people possibly planting them forward.

Great example!

Although we're only a couple of weeks in to the age Canada/USA tariff disputes Edmonton charities are among those affected by the trickle down effect. The effect on food prices has meant the food bank has had to increase their annual food plus increase the price of a new delivery truck being built in the USA. Habitat for Humanity Edmonton is preparing to deal with an estimated jump in prices for building materials that are subject to tariff increases.

Edmonton Food Bank runs an annual Festive Giving Campaign that takes in both food and monetary donations at a variety of events during eight weeks in November and December. Tamisan Bencz-Knight with the Edmonton Food Bank said they've met their fundraising goal of $4.5 million and about 90 per cent of our (300,000 kilograms) food donation goal which means they can have a strong start to the New Year. The Food Bank thanks donors, volunteers, and community partners for their “remarkable generosity”

2025 may have a strong start but work never stops and the organization is facing the highest volume of requests for help they’ve ever had. In 2024 the food bank averaged about 41,000 people a month, with 47,000 requests for help in October and the monthly average has grown exponentially since then.

Information on how and where to donate can be found on the food bank’s website. Donations will also be accepted at events throughout the year.

Edmonton's Sikh community makes an annual donation to Edmonton’s Food Bank, but because of the struggles the Food Bank is experiencing this year the Sikh community added an extra donation of both food and funds. The Sikh community just opened Gurdwara Dukh Nivaran Sahib the Sikh temple or community centre in south Edmonton. Sikh community leader Gursharan Buttar said Sikhism's fundamental teachings are working hard and sharing with the needy, and people are feeling that it’s time to share with the most vulnerable in our community.

Kingsawy Garden Mall has responded to the 44 per cent increase in the past four years at the food bank by really upping their rooftop garden.The rooftop garden now has 54 planters, which is hopefully will produce about 300 pounds of fruits, vegetables and herbs to donate to the food bank. They've learned a lot since last year and added more pots and their first beehive. The Mall's goal is to have a successful garden the Mall works with their gardeners at MicroHabitat as well as theirr retail gardeners here at Glass Earth Inc, and to raise awareness and inspire people to try urban gardening and beekeeping.

What Kingsway Mall has done on one roof could be replicated on other roofs throughout the City so the challenge is out..