Veterans food bank sees more demand
Posted November 7, 2024 3:43 pm.
Last Updated November 7, 2024 7:04 pm.
Joe McCauley spent 27 years in Canada’s military before retiring. Now he volunteers at Edmonton’s Veterans Food Bank.
“I joined up as a young infantry back in 1972,” said McCauley. “I was looking for something to do, something to keep me busy, something to give back.”
The Veterans Food Bank deals with more than hunger. It also provides mental health support and helps soldiers move from military to civilian life.
“They need a different kind of care, they need people who understand them, who understand what they’ve been through. It’s far easier for them to talk to people who’ve been there and done that,” said Chris Casey, the outreach lead of the Veterans Association Food Bank.
The Veterans Food Bank tells CityNews they’ve seen a 25 per cent increase in people coming to get food for their meals.
“Three and a half years ago, we were at 55 hampers. We grew very quickly to a hundred now we’re at 200 and we’re still climbing,” Casey explained.
Active soldiers — those still defending Canada also often come to the food bank for meals. Their paychecks are not enough to feed themselves and their families.
Boxes that were packed and sorted by the volunteers are ready to be picked up by veterans, but if someone is having trouble or can’t pick them up, McCauley says, they are willing to deliver them.
“These bad boys are going to hit the streets shortly.”
