History
The Strathcona Food Bank is a non-profit organization providing food to families in need in Sherwood Park and rural Strathcona County. It has been in operation since 1983.
Prior to 1983, small informal food banks were housed in various churches in Sherwood Park. After the 1982 Strathcona Christmas Bureau campaign, the Christmas Bureau approached the numerous food banks with the idea of amalgamating their efforts. As a result, in 1983, independent of the Strathcona Christmas Bureau, the Strathcona Food Bank was formed. The Strathcona Food Bank is operated by volunteers and is overseen by a volunteer board of directors.
Present
We operate with approximately 170 volunteers staffing the Food Bank. Five mornings a week, volunteer drivers and helpers pick up bread, pastries, some fresh produce and frozen foods at local grocery stores. Once delivered to the Food Bank, donations are sorted and stored by our “hamper volunteers”.
Volunteers respond to client requests and make up food hampers as needed from the donated food items. These volunteers also take care of the day to day housekeeping duties associated with the operation of our facility.
Food Bank Statistics
The Strathcona Food Bank supports a population of 99,225 (2021 census) residents. In the last five years we have served the following:
2022
- 4106 hampers
- 12,165 people were served including:
- 7317 adults
- 1278 teens
- 3569 children
2021
- 3086 hampers
- 8612 people were served including:
- 5213 adults
- 955 teens
- 2444 children
- 473 agency support
2020
- 3119 hampers
- 8600 people were served including:
- 5061 adults
- 892 teens
- 2647 children
- 470 agency support
2019
- 3396 hampers
- 5548 adults
- 908 teens
- 3073 children
- 666 agency support
2018
- 3082 hampers which provided food for,
- 5068 adults
- 949 teens
- 2704 children
- 736 agency support
Food Bank Code of Ethics
Aligned with Food Banks Canada and Food Banks Alberta, we believe that everyone in Strathcona County has the right to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences. This is our ethical food banking code:
- Provide food and other assistance to those needing help regardless of race, national or ethnic origin, citizenship, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, income source, age, and mental or physical ability
- Treat all those who access services with the utmost dignity and respect
- Implement best practices in the proper and safe storage and handling of food
- Respect the privacy of those served and maintain the confidentially of personal information
- Not sell donated food
- Acquire and share food in a spirit of cooperation with other food banks and food programs
- Strive to make the public aware of the existence of hunger and of the factors that contribute to it
- Recognize that food banks are not a viable long-terms response to hunger and devote part of their activities to reducing the need for food assistance
- Represent accurately, honestly, and completely their respective missions and activities to the larger community
Affiliations
Member of:
- Food Banks Alberta
- Food Banks Canada
- National Food Sharing Program
- Alberta Share