Local organizations attempt to fill bus with food to raise hunger awareness
The 19th annual Stuff-A-Bus event takes place this year on Saturday, Nov. 5 at all 21 Calgary Co-op locations.
Stuff-A-Bus is an incentive where Calgary Transit, Calgary Co-op and the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank come together to raise awareness that hunger happens year-round.
Calgary Transit will provide buses at each location and encourage people to stop by and make a food donation in order to “stuff a bus” full of food from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Volunteers from Calgary Transit and the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank will be on site to collect donations and provide tax receipts. Pre-packaged bags of non-perishable food items will also be available for purchase, with all proceeds going to the food bank.
“Hunger … knows no season,” said Keoma Duce, development co-ordinator for the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank. “It’s amazing the impact a box of food can make.”
Many of the volunteers helping out at this year’s Stuff-A-Bus fundraiser on Nov. 5 will be returning from last year’s successful event.
Photo courtesy of: Calgary TransitLast year Stuff-A-Bus raised $157,000 and the campaign hopes to beat that number this year.
Ron Collins, communications co-ordinator for Calgary Transit, said the main purpose of Stuff-A-Bus is to help the food bank raise donations and serve its clients.
“Lets face it, it’s for the Calgary Food Bank,” said Collins. “It’s for the less fortunate people who can’t put food on the table. It’s for a very worthy cause.”
“We’re hoping for a good day this year. It’s a fantastic way to give back to the community,” Collins added.
Cindy Drummond, manager of communications for Calgary Co-op, explained Co-op’s involvement with Stuff-A-Bus.
“We have strong partnerships with non-profit groups across Calgary and it just makes sense for us to be involved with a non-profit food organization, because we are a food-based company.”
James Bergeron, a Stuff-A-Bus volunteer for two years, said there are many reasons why people should volunteer and help out with the event.
“It’s different for every person,” Bergeron said. “But for me, it gives me a sense of well-being. I like to to interact and help people.”
The stuffed buses will converge at the Victoria Park Bus Barn to unload the food, where food bank trucks will pick up the donations and take it back to their warehouse.
Stuff-A-Bus donations can also be made to the Strathmore and Airdrie Co-op locations, and year-round food donations are always accepted at all Co-op, Sobeys and Safeway locations. Donations can also be made to the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank warehouse year-round at 5000 – 11th St. SE.
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