Brittany Gervais – Calgary Herald – Dec 17, 2021
The Kensington Business Improvement Area wrapped up their Christmas gift to the Veterans Food Bank of Calgary today.
Over 30 boxes of non-perishable food items, collected by BIA members at their locations throughout Kensington, are being given to the food bank.
“I think it’s difficult to think of anyone going hungry at any time of the year, but especially at Christmas,” said Annie MacInnis, Executive Director of the Kensington Business Improvement Area.
“The thought of our veterans going hungry, I think is especially painful to many people,” she said.
The BIA’s retailers have been collecting donations since mid-November. An additional $700 in cash is being donated as well to the food bank.
The Kensington BIA has been heavily focused on trying to rebuild a sense of local community this year.
“As part of Christmas in Kensington, which we have been doing for seven years, this year our businesses wanted to give back even more than we usually do during this time,” said MacInnis.
Because of this, the BIA chose the Veterans Food Bank.
“We decided that this was a cause that we wanted to really support because we know that the there are a lot more people accessing food banks than in the past, and our our economic downturn and Covid have made people feel particularly isolated,” she said.
In addition, Christmas cards created by first and second grade students at Hillhurst Elementary School, will be included with the donation to be given to veterans in Calgary.
MacInnis said she was proud of the work that the grade one and two students did to make cards for veterans this year.
The Veterans Food Bank of Calgary serves over 750 Albertans, many of whom lost their livelihoods as a result of the pandemic. And although the donation period at Kensington businesses is now closed, Calgarians can make donations throughthe Veterans Food Bank website.