The institution that pioneered food banking in Canada now finds itself struggling to sustain operations during its most critical fundraising period.
Edmonton’s Food Bank has collected just over three-fifths of the food donations and roughly five-sixths of the cash contributions it needs for its annual Festive Campaign. The organization, which opened in 1981 during an economic downturn caused by oil industry turmoil, intended to provide temporary relief.
Four decades later, demand continues to accelerate.
Monthly visits exceed 43,000 people. Contributions lag behind the need.
Marjorie Bencz, who leads the organization, points to disappointing returns from signature fundraising events. Traditional donation drives like Candy Cane Lane have underperformed this season.
“It has been a challenging year for us to get the food into the warehouse,” Bencz told Global News. “Some of our major events, for example, Candy Cane Lane — it’s been a bit slower so we’re not seeing the contributions we normally would.”
The Edmonton struggle reflects nationwide patterns. Food Banks Canada documented an unprecedented 2.2 million visits during March 2025 — a figure that represents double the volume recorded in March 2019.
Approximately 712,000 monthly visits involve children, an increase of 340,000 visits compared to figures from six years earlier. Kids represent one-third of all food bank clients.
Moreover, working Canadians now comprise nearly 20% of food bank users, up from roughly 12% in 2019. Two-parent families account for 23% of clients, compared to less than 19% previously.
Charity cannot solve this crisis. Food Banks Canada CEO Kirstin Beardsley makes that explicit. The organization graded federal poverty-reduction initiatives at D, and demands coordinated policy action targeting wages, housing affordability, and social assistance programs.
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