November 22, 2023
As Edmontonians fill their carts with pantry staples this holiday season, the small act of picking up an extra can or jar can help ensure everyone has food at the table.
The Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) Stuff a Bus campaign returns this year in support of Edmonton’s Food Bank. The campaign, now in its 29th year, runs November 22 - 25.
The need has never been greater. The number of people helped by the hamper program in June 2023 reached 35,637, an all-time high in the Food Bank’s 42 year history. The average monthly number of clients helped has also increased by almost 25 per cent since 2022.
Every donation makes a difference, and with so many ways to donate, it’s easier than ever for Edmontonians to support their neighbours and contribute to food security in the city.
Edmontonians can donate in the following ways:
- ETS buses will be onsite at 15 participating Save-On-Foods locations on Nov. 25. ETS staff will be at each Save-On-Foods collecting donations.
- On Nov. 25, donations will be collected at all Sherwood Park Save-On-Foods to support the Strathcona Food Bank and the Spruce Grove Save-On-Foods to support the Parkland Food Bank.
- Stuff a train at Clareview LRT station on Nov. 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Edmonton’s Food Bank volunteers will collect both food and cash donations.
- You can also stuff Transit Peace Officer (TPO) cruisers at three Save-On-Foods locations with non-perishable food donations, Nov. 22 - 24.
- At the checkout counters at 15 Save-On-Foods locations.
- Online via Edmonton’s Food Bank website and selecting ETS Stuff a Bus under “Fund” (minimum of $3 for online donations).
- By texting FEEDYEG to 20222. Both $10 or $20 donation options are available.
A $3.52 contribution can provide a meal to one person and can be covered by just one online donation.
In 2022, more than 20,000 kilograms of food was collected at Save-On-Foods locations and $9,901 in cash was collected through online, text and check-out donations.
Since its inception, the Stuff a Bus campaign has collected over 573,000 kilograms of food and $505,000 in cash donations to help feed Edmontonians in need.
