Loblaw's Extra Helping Holiday Food Drive

April 4, 2026

The Loblaw’s Extra Helping Spring Campaign runs until April 24. Please consider donating to your local food bank.
One hundred per cent of food donations and 85 per cent of cash donations will go directly to the local food bank, while the remaining 15 per cent of donated cash will support provincial food bank programs. Thanks to the support and generosity of customers, in 2013, the Extra Helping™ Food Drive raised more than $1.9 million in funds and over 1.5 million pounds of food for food banks across the country.

Register now for 2014 provincial conference

March 28, 2026

Early Bird Registration is now open for the 2014 Alberta Food Banks Annual Conference and AGM. This annual event is an opportunity to share, learn, connect and network with the food bank community in Alberta.
Read all the details here:
http://www.afbna.ca/2014-annual-conference-and-agm/

Hunger Awareness Week is May 5-9 2014

March 26, 2026

Hunger Awareness Week is May 5th - 9th 2014. The theme this year is ‘Give Hunger a Voice’.

HungerCount report link

February 7, 2026

Food bank use in Canada is 23% higher than it was just five short years ago.

For this and many more hunger facts in detail, download your copy of the HungerCount 2013 report now at this link:

http://www.foodbankscanada.ca/FoodBanks/MediaLibrary/HungerCount/HungerCount2013.pdf

Feeding Families Fund 2014

January 2, 2026

Thanks to generous support from McCain Food Canada and Nestlé Canada, Food Banks Canada is providing grants to support food banks in meeting the needs of families with school-aged children accessing their services through the Feeding Families Fund.
This year’s fund will offer a total of $63,000 to support food banks in the following ways:
• Educating or offering resources to food bank clients who are parents or caregivers of school-aged children
• Building skills that ensure families are better able to put food on the table
• Providing parents and caregivers of school-aged children with support as they develop new skills
These funds are open for applications from any member of the AFBNA. The deadline to submit applications is January 31.

FCC donates $40,856

December 20, 2025

Farm Credit Canada (FCC) donated $40,856 to the Alberta Food Bank Network as part of the 10th anniversary of FCC Drive Away Hunger.

“We raised 382,399 pounds of food for food banks across Alberta during Drive Away Hunger in 2013,” said Rob Schmeichel, District Director at FCC’s Edmonton office. “For most Canadians, December is filled with celebration. However, some people in our communities will have very little food, if any, on their table this holiday season. FCC hopes this donation will help food banks fill their shelves and help those who need it.”

During the holiday season, FCC employees will also make time for activities across the country to help. Among other things, they will participate in the “Adopt-a-Family” program, help children in need, volunteer at soup kitchens and support food banks. It’s part of the organization’s strong commitment to give back to the communities where FCC customers and employees live and work.

In Alberta, over 53,500 people are assisted by a food bank each month and 44 per cent of them are children.

FCC Drive Away Hunger is a unique food drive that involves driving a tractor and trailer through communities to collect food and cash donations for food banks across the country. Since 2004, FCC employees and community partners have raised over 17 million pounds of food. To learn more about FCC Drive Away Hunger, and watch the Drive Away Hunger video, go to www.fccdriveawayhunger.ca and visit the FCC Drive Away Hunger media newsroom.

Photo: Rob Schmeichel (FCC) presents a $40,856 cheque to the Alberta Food Bank Network’s executive director, Stephanie Rigby.

Albertans still struggle with hunger: report

November 5, 2025

During a time of apparent economic recovery, far too many Albertans still struggle to put food on the table, says a national report out today.

According to the HungerCount 2013 report, food bank usage in Alberta remains high, despite a slight dip in numbers from 2012. This year, 48,653 people turned to food banks for assistance during the month of March, down slightly from a year earlier, when food banks in this province reported helping 53,512 people.

The HungerCount report is based on a survey completed by food banks across the country. They collect data on usage at their individual facilities for one month and the results are compiled and analyzed by Food Banks Canada, a national network of provincial food bank associations and their 450 affiliated food banks.

“What this national report clearly illustrates is that despite the great economic growth and success in Alberta, hunger persists at staggering levels,” said Stephanie Walsh, executive director of the Alberta Food Bank Network Association (AFBNA).

Food bank use in Alberta has remained relatively unchanged in the last decade, despite the economic boom in this province. In 2003, 48,743 people accessed a food bank and that number crested at 59,311 in 2010 when the country began to regain strength after the recession.

Nearly 40% of food banks responding to the survey in Alberta reported an increase in usage from 2012.

“Significant portions of our province’s population are vulnerable and face significant challenges. Food insecurity – not knowing where your next meal is coming from – has become a norm, not an exception,” said Walsh.

Food banks grew out of a need for a temporary response to the 1980s recession, but 30 years later they are still here and demand has not subsided.

Alberta by the numbers:
• 48,653 people helped by a food bank in March, 2013 – nearly on par with 10 years ago.
• The number of people helped by food banks in the 2003 survey was 48,743.
• Food bank usage in Alberta is down from 2012 (by 9.1%) – bucking the national trend – which saw a 4.5% decrease in overall food bank assistance from 2012 to 2013.
• At the height of food bank use in 2010, as many as 59,311 people turned to food banks for help.
• 44.1% of Albertans accessing food bank assistance are children.

The AFBNA is the provincial association of food banks in Alberta, with more than 60 members across the province. It is a member of Food Banks Canada.

Who turns to food banks?

October 29, 2025

Many people do not realize the extent of hunger’s reach in this country. Each month, close to 900,000 Canadians are assisted by food banks, and 38% of those helped are children and youth.

The problem of hunger is a persistent one, with food banks providing comparable levels of food and other assistance for the better part of a decade.

Who is turning to food banks? There is no single, typical profile. The people helped include families with children, employed people whose wages are not sufficient to cover basic living essentials, individuals on social assistance, and Canadians living on a fixed income, including people with disabilities and seniors.

Consider these figures from HungerCount 2012:

93,000 people each month access a food bank for the first time

38% of those turning to food banks are children and youth

4% of adults helped are over age 65

11% of people assisted are Aboriginal

52% of households helped receive social assistance

18% have income from current or recent employment

14% receive disability-related income supports

14% of food banks ran out of food during the survey period

55% of food banks needed to cut back on the amount of food provided to each household

FCC Drive Away Hunger

October 9, 2025

The 10th anniversary of the FCC Drive Away Hunger rolls through Alberta next week. Next Wednesday, the drive will be in Leduc to support the Leduc and District Food Bank and on Thursday in Spruce Grove to support the Parkland Food Bank.

The AFBNA office will be out to support the efforts of the FCC in this great campaign.

Thank you Alberta Milk!

July 27, 2026

Alberta Milk started a Twitter campaign in support of our Community/Collective Kitchen Program. From November 26 - December 2nd visit @MoreAboutMilk and re-tweet the official tweet and Alberta Milk will donate $1. An amazing $2,000 was raised. This was a wonderful opportunity and we are so grateful to have the support of Alberta Milk. Thank you!!

Southern Alberta Floods

July 2, 2026

It has been a true testament of solidarity, kindness and support from thousands of Albertans and Canadians during our single largest disaster in Alberta’s history. Thank you all. There are no borders when people are in need.

If you are a Food Bank in need of support, please let the AFBNA know so we can coordinate logistics. Alberta Food Banks is here to help. There are National Food Sharing System resources available as well as Rural Relief Funds for Food Banks to provide food, transportation or replace capital equipment.

Food Banks Canada 2013 Membership Conference

June 11, 2026

Nourishing our Network. Food Banks Canada 2013 Membership Conference in Charlottetown, PEI June 12-14

Hunger Awareness Week

May 6, 2026

Get involved. Make a difference.

May 6-10 is National Hunger Awareness Week. It’s a country-wide event that raises awareness of the solvable problem of hunger. Get involved and make a difference. This year the national campaign asks Canadians to “Give it Up for Hunger” to make a positive impact on the issue of hunger in our country. What does giving it up really mean? There are two parts:

1. GIVE IT UP
Get an idea of what it might be like to have food out of reach by fasting for a day from 8am on May 8th until 8am on May 9th. We know there’s no way to truly understand what it’s like to struggle with hunger and poverty unless it’s actually your reality, but we’re hoping that this symbolic gesture will get you thinking.

2. GIVE A SHOUT
Share your experience! Are you on Facebook or Twitter? Do you blog? Use these online platforms to tell your friends, family and colleagues what it feels like and why it’s important to be involved. If you’re tweeting, use the hashtag #hungerweek to be part of the national conversation.

Connect with us so we can share your messages:

@ABFoodBanks
facebook.com/pages/Alberta-Food-Banks

Take the Hunger Awareness Quiz and test your knowledge.

Spread the word about Hunger Awareness Week by sending a postcard.

Sign the pledge and Say No To Hunger

Food Drive Toolkit

April 23, 2026

Check it out! A Food Drive Toolkit. Download a copy for your food bank today! Don’t forget to customize the toolkit with your food bank’s information, logo and specific needs.

2013 AGM & Conference

April 4, 2026

I am happy to announce that the registration packages for the 2013 AGM & Conference in Camrose on MAy 23-24 have been mailed out. This years theme is ‘Food For Thought’ and we hope to see you all there for some learning, sharing and a few laughs too! Clicke here to downlaod an electronic copy of the registration form and information package. If you have any questions about the conference call the AFBNA office at 1.866.251.2326. Hope to see you all in May!!

Client Intake Software

March 19, 2026

Food Banks Canada has undertaken the task of reviewing Client Intake Software options that are currently on the market and available to Food Banks. If your food bank has been thinking about purchasing a client intake software program take a minute to look at this report complied by Food Banks Canada. Neither Food Banks Canada nor the AFBNA are endorsing any particular software program, nor is it mandatory for food banks to use any software program at all. Please accept this report as a resource for your information only.

Board Leadership 2013

February 15, 2026

Do not miss this exciting workshop. Early Bird registration ends February 15, 2026

Are you looking for new ways to engage your Board of Directors? How about new ideas for fundraising or tips on how to utilize social media to your advantage?
The Board Leadership 2013 workshop might be what you are looking for. Check out the Board Leadership website for more information. Registration is open now.

Social Policy Framework Newsletter

February 15, 2026

For those of you who have taken part in or are following the progress of the Social Policy Framework discussions here is the most recent newsletter updating the progress made so far and the next steps. For further information check out the Social Policy Framework website

Safe Food Handling Workshop

January 25, 2026

Food Banks Canada will be offering Safe Food Handling Workshops in February, 2013!

Check out this poster for more information.

Registration will be done online at brownpapertickets.com:
For the Lethbridge workshop click here.
There are 2 dates in Lethbridge to choose from.
For the St. Albert workshop click here

Or you can contact the AFBNA at 1.866.251.2326 for more information.

Registration will close Monday January 28th so register early as space is limted. Bring as many people as you like, staff, volunteers or board members. All are welcome!

Don’t miss this amazing learning opportunity. See you there!

Rural Support Program

January 16, 2026

Food Banks Canada is accepting grant applications for the Rural Support Program: Transportation Grant. This fund is designed to help off-set the cost of transportation associated with moving food. This program is funded through the support of founding sponsor Syngenta, Shaw and Farm Credit Canada. Applications are due by January 31, 2013.
Click on the link to find a copy of the Rural Support Program application.

Candy Cane Lane

December 14, 2025

Candy Cane Lane opens tonight after dark. This Edmonton tradition has been going strong for 40 years. Check out the website for more information. Don’t forget to bring a non-perishable food donation in support of the Edmonton’s Food Bank. Bundle up and get into the spirit of the holidays with a stroll down Candy Cane Lane!

Alberta Milk Promotion

November 26, 2025

Alberta Milk has partnered with Alberta Food Banks and is running a twitter campaign in support of our Community/Collective Kitchen Program. For every re-tweet Alberta Milk will donate $1.The campaign starts today and runs until Midnight December 2, 2012. Please visit @MoreAboutMilk for details. You must re-tweet the official tweet for it to count. Check out twitter now to get involved and follow us @ABFoodBanks. Thank you for your tweets!!

Krown Cherry Tomato Alert

November 22, 2025

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning the public not to consume Krown brand cherry tomatoes or tomatoes found in various party trays due to possible salmonella contamination. For more information check out the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website.

Community Kitchen Better Meals Fund

November 20, 2025

Applications for the Community Kitchen Better Meals Fund are due by November 30, 2012. The Community Kitchen Better Meals Fund was developed to help food banks in the development, expansion or maintenance of a community kitchen program that:
- Provides meals; OR
- education initiatives that develop or improve meal planning, meal preparation and nutrition knowledge of food bank clients
Please fill out the application form and send it to Food Banks Canada as soon as possible. If you have any questions contact the AFBNA office at 1.866.251.2326. Good Luck!

Kraft Food For Families

November 5, 2025

Help make the holidays easier for everyone. From now until December 31, 2025 you can support a food bank in Alberta by visiting the Kraft Food For Families website once a day. Enter your name and choose the food bank you would like to support. That food bank will recieve $0.50 each and every time you enter your name. Help Kraft give away $125,000 this holiday season. Its easy to make a difference!

Payless ShoeSource

November 2, 2025

All across Alberta Payless ShoeSource locations will be accepting donations for their local food banks throughout the month of November. Please consider bringing a non-perishable food donation with you on your next visit to Payless ShoeSource. Our thanks goes out to all Payless locations for supporting their local food banks during the holiday season. Thank you all!

HungerCount 2012

October 30, 2025

HungerCount 2012 released

The HungerCount report is an essential document that details food bank usage across Canada. With a slowly recovering economy it may be surprising to hear that food bank use in Canada has increased by 2.4% over last year. Over 880,000 Canadians access a food bank each month and 38% percent of those are children. In Alberta, we have the highest number of people with current or recent job income accessing food banks.

For more information, visit the Food Banks Canada website.

World Food Day

October 12, 2025

World Food Day October 16th, 2012

The aim of the Day is to heighten public awareness of the world food problem and strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty.
The theme this year is: Agricultural Cooperatives- key to feeding the world. It was chosen to highlight the role of cooperatives in improving food security and contributing to the eradication of hunger. Check out the Food and Agricultural Organizations of the United Nations for ways to get involved.

Kellogg Voluntary Recall

October 10, 2025

As a precautionary measure, Kellogg Canada is voluntarily recalling Kellogg’s* Mini-Wheats* Original Frosted and Kellogg’s* Mini-Wheats* Brown Sugar Flavour cereals. Please remove this product from your inventory and destroy.

This is due to the possible presence of fragments of flexible metal mesh from a faulty manufacturing part found in certain Mini-Wheat’s* cereals produced between April 1 and July 29, 2012.
No consumer reports of injuries have been reported. No other Best Before codes of these products are affected.

Kellogg has issued a memo and list of products that they have issued the recall for. The memo includes the UPC and packaging labels to easily identify the product.

Do contact us with any questions/concerns and let us know if you have this product in your inventory.

Turkey Farmers of Canada

October 4, 2025

Once again,Turkey Farmers of Canada have graciously provided Food Banks Canada with a national donation to be shared with food banks across Canada to purchase turkeys during the Thanksgiving season. Be sure to check out the news release sent out from the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada encouraging Canadians to celebrate great Canadian agriculture by donating to their local food banks.
Thank you Turkey Farmers of Canada for your continued support of rural food banks across the country!

Millet's Biggest Loser Challenge

September 28, 2025

Millet’s Biggest Loser Challenge

Here’s your chance to lose weight and support the Millet Food Bank. Enroll in this biggest loser style challenge and agree to match your pounds lost with a donation, either in dollars or food. Feel good on the inside and the outside! Click here to find out how to join. Good luck to all participants and thank you for your support of the Millet Food Bank.

Cedar Publishing

September 28, 2025

Important Notice Concerning Cedar Publishing

In an effort to communicate in an open and effective manner with you, our valued supporters and members, the AFBNA Board of Directors would like to make you aware of a situation involving the former publisher of our provincial newsmagazine called the AFBNA : Food Bank Network Newsmagazine.

In 2008, the AFBNA and Cedar Publishing entered into an arrangement that produced a newsmagazine. Our goal with this publication was to support Alberta Food Banks by generating awareness of the work of Food Banks and general food insecurity.

Our organization has received a number of complaints concerning the business and solicitation activities of Cedar Publishing. Because of these complaints and our concern about the integrity of the AFBNA and our members, we have terminated our relationship with Cedar Publishing. In other words, Cedar Publishing no longer has our authority to use the AFBNA or Alberta Food Banks name or trademarks.

If you have concerns or questions, please contact Suzan Krecsy, AFBNA Chair, at . Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

XL Foods meat recall

September 17, 2026

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning people and businesses not to consume, serve or sell ground beef products that were sold at major grocery stores and could be contaminated with E. coli bacteria.

The Edmonton plant that manufactured the ground beef products, XL Foods Inc., has voluntarily recalled the products along with various retailers processors and distributors.

The meat products, including hamburger patties and meatballs, were sold in Costco, Walmart and Safeway stores. The beef was also sold under the Calahoo Meats brand in Alberta.

A full list of distributors, product descriptions with photos and codes is available on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website under the website’s latest recalls section.

Food contaminated with E. coli can cause serious illness including severe abdominal pain.

For more information, consumers and industry can call the Canadian Food Inspection Agency at 1-800-442-2342.

Whoop Up Pancake Breakfast

August 15, 2026

INTERFAITH FOOD BANK OF LETHBRIDGE TO HOST 6TH ANNUAL WHOOP UP PANCAKE BREAKFAST

Join the Interfaith Food Bank of Lethbridge on Tuesday August 21st for a delicious pancake breakfast with a HEALTHY TWIST. There will be games, crafts, face painting and entertainment provided by local country legend Floyd Stillito.

Come out, fill your bellies, and support a good cause!
ALL PROCEEDS TO INTERFAITH FOOD BANK
WHERE:1103-3rd Avenue North,
Lethbridge, AB,
Just one block North of Save On Foods
WHEN:Tuesday, August 21
TIME: 7am-10am just before the parade
COST: $3.00 for adults; $2.00 for children ages 4-12

Blue Suede Music Festival

August 8, 2026

The 4th Annual Blue Suede Music Festival is being held in Busby, Alberta on August 25th and 26th, 2012. This festival is a tribute to The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis! So put on your blue suede shoes and come enjoy a weekend of fun, dancing and Elvis. In keeping with Elvis’ charitable spirit please bring a minimum donation of $5 per person plus a non-perishable donation to the Food Bank to get in. The donations will be shared between the Westlock Food Bank, St. Albert Food Bank, Morinville Food Bank and the Ripple connection in Barrhead. For more information please visit The Blue Suede Music Festival website.
Westlock, St Albert, Morinville and the Ripple Connection in Barrhead.

Purolator Tackle Hunger

July 26, 2026

The Purolator Tackle Hunger campaign will visit each CFL market this season and host a food drive at selected CFL home games throughout the season. The next event takes place Saturday July 28th in Calgary as the Stampeders take on the BC Lions followed by Edmonton hosting the Saskatchewan Rough Riders on Friday August 10th. This is a great chance to support your favourite CFL team and your local Food Bank. Thank you Purolator!!

Drive Away Hunger 2012

July 11, 2026

Farm Credit Canada’s 2012 Drive Away Hunger Campaign is set to launch on September 24th until October 19th. Last year, staff and friends of the FCC raised 2.4 milion pounds of food for food banks across the country. Stay tuned for a list of the communities that will be visited during the tractor-and-trailer tours in mid-October. We know this years Drive Away Hunger campaign is sure to be a HUGE success!! Thank you to our friends at the FCC.

Strathmore Times July 6th edition

July 10, 2026

Check out the July 6th edition of the Strathmore Times for the article Food Issues:Out of mind if out of sight.

Lay's Supporting the AFBNA

June 28, 2026

Thank you Lay’s and PepsiCo Canada for your continued support and generous contributions to the AFBNA. Starting in August, Lay’s will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Lay’s products to the AFBNA. Keep a look out for the AFBNA logo in stores wherever Lay’s products are sold. Thank you!!

Shaw Fill The Food Banks

June 27, 2026

We are very excited to report that the Shaw’s Fill the Food Banks 2012 campaign was a tremendous success raising over 1.25 million pounds of food and over $630,000 nationally! This could not have been achieved without the incredible Shaw Employee Champions who devoted almost 10,000 volunteer hours! A BIG thank you to everyone who participated!

Loblaw Extra Helping Food Drive

June 27, 2026

Thank you to all food banks who participated in the recent Spring Extra Helping Food Drive. Over $627,620 in cash donations and over 647,710 pounds of food were collected! Cheques have already been mailed to participating food banks. If you have any photos or stories that you would like to share from the campaign, or any questions about your cheques, please send them to . The holiday food drive is set for November 23 – December 20, 2012.

Capacity Building Fund

June 20, 2026

Food Banks Canada will be providing grants to support capacity building programs for Member Provincial
Associations and Affiliate Member food banks. This fund has been created to support food banks in developing strong and stable infrastructure. This fund is open for applications from any Food Banks Canada Member or Affiliate Member food bank. Agencies of Affiliate Members are not eligible for this fund.

For more information, please review the application form.