AMA’s annual campaign raises record-breaking donations for food banks

With the rising cost of living, more Edmontonians are turning to local food banks.

One community fundraiser campaign is raising unprecedented donations to help people in need during the holiday season.

Edmonton’s food bank is one of many food banks across Alberta receiving more than $322,000 in monetary donations from the Alberta Motor Association (AMA) Fill our Fleet annual campaign.

“It just means so much to myself and everyone that’s involved because we can’t do this alone. 2024 has been a really rough year for us at Edmonton’s Food Bank, and I know food banks across the province have been struggling to keep up with the need,” said Tamisan Bencz-Knight, spokesperson for Edmonton’s Food Bank.

Since its establishment in 2009, AMA Fill our Fleet community fundraiser campaign has been raising donations to support food banks across the province. AMA says this year is the highest of any single-year total in the campaign’s history.

“It’s remarkable. People themselves are struggling and to think that people have that sense of community, that sense of really watching out for one another. We see it across the province,” said Jane Flower, vice-president of corporate purpose at AMA.

Edmonton’s Food Bank served about 47,000 people through its hampers program just this October, nearly double from last year.

Bencz-Knight says the demand for food banks this year is unprecedented.

“That’s a huge number of people through a single program area. That doesn’t include all the meals and snacks that we’re supporting other charity partners like Hope Mission, Bissel, Boyle Street, The Salvation Army,” said Bencz-Knight.

That’s why Flower says the organization is stepping up to help those in need.

“The first $100,000 raised, AMA matched that,” said Flower.

“It’s all of us banding together to do what we can each do to help support our neighbours in need,” added Bencz-Knight.

In addition to the money, the campaign also gathered about more than 41,000 pounds of non-perishable food to help fill food banks shelves across the province.