2022 ANNUAL REPORT CITY OF BRIDGES
A MESSAGE FROM THE SFBLC
Saskatoon is known as the “City of Bridges,” and that had us reflecting on the many ways we work to create bridges for the community. We know that all people often need is just a little support to get from point A to point B. That could mean 2-3 days’ worth of food to make it through the week, help filing an income tax return, learning new skills to improve employability, or being able to access goods, like clothing or hygiene items. We understand that the issues contributing to hunger and poverty are closely linked, and that these bridges do more than just address one issue; they can build on the assets people already have and offer new assets that contribute to sustainable livelihoods. For nearly 40 years, we’ve been committed to ensuring a food secure community and doing our part to address the underlying issues contributing to hunger and poverty. As we’ve continued to navigate the many changes we saw this year, we’ve been encouraged by the ways that the community has continued to show support, whether with contributions of funds and food, or in-kind donations. Your support means we can continue to help bridge the gaps between the community and their hopes and needs. Each year, we’re overwhelmed by the generosity of the people of Saskatoon and how the community continues to come together to care for and uplift one another. Thank you for all you do to help create bridges for others too.
HIGHLIGHT We missed them dearly and we were thrilled this year to be able to welcome volunteers back into our building! This support within the community has always been at the core of the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre’s success. Each year, the gift of people’s time and energy has made it possible for us to provide tens of thousands of Emergency Food Hampers to the community, whether that was through food drives, sorting donations, or packing hampers. This year, volunteers provided 6,749 hours of their time. Those hours mean more food sorted and packed into Emergency Food Hampers. More community members assisted with income tax returns, which brings more money back into the community. More help planting and harvesting fruits and vegetables in the Garden Patch that will provide local produce for the community. Simply put, volunteers at the SFBLC ensure that we’re able to provide more of what folks need to thrive and the community is stronger through supporting one another. As we began to welcome volunteers back into our building, we were excited to meet some new volunteers, as well as see some familiar faces like Elfreida. She has been volunteering with us for 15 years! Elfreida started volunteering with us when she was a teacher at Holy Cross High School, bringing her students to volunteer. After retiring, she continued coming back to share her time with us. When asked what she most enjoyed about volunteering with the SFBLC, Elfreida said, “The SFBLC has always been so helpful to my students. Making my students feel helpful and appreciated for all they contributed. I occasionally run into former students, and they always remember the SFBLC and how much they enjoyed it.”
IMPACT
166,554
CLIENT SERVICES 18,000+
Community Members Served
Monthly Visitors
50% Monthly Visitor Increase From Last Year
CLOTHING DEPOT 19,473 Community Members Served
EMERGENCY HAMPERS 63,166 1,965,825 lbs 68,363 L Emergency Food Hampers Provided to the Community
Food Provided to the Community
Fresh Milk Provided to the Community Through Milk For Children Program
BRIDGING THE GAP
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX CLINIC 2,058 Community Members Served
$9,263,360 Injected Into Our Local Economy Through Tax Refunds, GST Credits, and Canada Child Benefit Payments
WORKPLACE EXPERIENCE PATHWAY 9 10 1 Participants Graduated the Program
25
Participants Found Employment
Participant Furthered Their Education
LEARNING PATHWAY
Participants Enrolled
2
Participants Furthered Their Education
6,749 Total Volunteer Hours
VOLUNTEER HOURS 4,345 Warehouse, Special Events, Client Services Hours
962 Garden Patch Hours
1,375
67
Income Tax Program Hours
Nutrition Hours
GARDEN PATCH 15,937 lbs $80,271 Food Grown
Value of Organic Produce Distributed to Clients
651
600 hrs
Cubic Yards of Compost Produced
Gardening Education
WAREHOUSE 64,053 lbs Food Provided to Other Agencies For Their Own Programs/Services
76
NUTRITION
Online Cooking Classes Delivered
721
Ingredient Kits Delivered to Particpants
7,924
Healthy Meals Served Through Cooking Classes
EVENTS CITY-WIDE FOOD DRIVE This year the annual City-Wide Food Drive was back through the Community Click & Pick-nic virtual food drive! A big thank you to our friends at Rawlco Radio and the Saskatoon Star Phoenix for their support!
MILK MONTH In September, we celebrated our 5th Milk Month. Thanks to the amazing matching campaign from our friends at Canpotex and the generous donors who gave above and beyond. With your help we provided 68,363 litres of fresh milk to children and pregnant and nursing women in the community last year. HOLIDAY CAMPAIGN (WOULD YOU KNOW IF YOUR NEIGHBOUR WAS HUNGRY?) Thanks to the giving spirit of the people of Saskatoon, we had our most successful holiday season ever. After asking the city, “Would You Know If Your Neighbour Was Hungry?” folks gave generously, and we raised over $1 million to ensure that no one went hungry during the holidays.
CORPORATE DONORS ALAIN GAUCHER We were thrilled when Alain Gaucher wanted to make a significant contribution to our operations. Mr. Gaucher’s generous financial support made it possible for the SFBLC to purchase a forklift to manage our off-site inventory. Being able to purchase a forklift for that location meant we’re now saving over $1,500/month by no longer needing to rent a forklift.
RAWLCO RADIO Our friends at Rawlco have stuck by us for so many years. Their loyal support helps us spread the word far and wide about our annual City-Wide Food Drive, holiday campaign, Milk Month, and the Canadian Tire Golf Classic Charity Golf Tournament. If this wasn’t enough, they also Emcee special events for us and lend their talent and support to the SFBLC all year long. Thank you, Rawlco Radio for all that you do to bring our message to life. And a big thank you to the Rawlinsons, for your incredible financial support. Your belief in what we do makes our work possible.
STAR EGG Thank you so much to our friends at Star Egg. When we needed you, you came through for us. During the last year, they provided over 1,000 dozen eggs for the community (over 12,000 eggs). This fresh, highly nutritious source of protein is a versatile component of our Emergency Food Hampers.
BUILDING BRIDGES HEALTH SCIENCES ASSOCIATION OF SASKATCHEWAN Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan (HSAS) stepped up to the plate once again with a generous donation to support our Milk For Children Program. This annual gift represents a commitment to the community that translates into 6, 944 litres of fresh milk! A big thank you to HSAS President Karen Wasylenko for being a champion of our cause, and for your passionate belief in food security.
TERRY AND WILLIE UNGER We were so happy to have a chat with Terry and Willie Unger over a cup of coffee and get to know them and their interest in supporting the community. This wonderful couple’s generous commitment will contribute to our daily operations and make a difference in the lives of the people we serve. Thank you, Terry and Willie, for your commitment to community.
CONCORDE GROUP CORP. When the pandemic hit, we had to think of immediate and long-term solutions to food procurement and storage. We needed a plan so that we could meet the needs of people today and tomorrow. Concorde answered our call by donating warehouse space to accommodate our bulk purchases. This incredible support has made it possible to store inventory so that we can plan ahead and be prepared for whatever comes our way.
BRUNNER’S CONSTRUCTION Brunners continues to show their dedication to the community by delivering hampers to people twice a week for the past 2 years, to those who are in urgent circumstances. No matter how busy they may be, they come through for the community week after week. Thank you for contributing to a food secure community.
CANPOTEX Canpotex is an integral supporter of our Milk for Children Program. In addition to their generous financial contributions, they have volunteered countless hours and truly become part of our food bank family. Thank you, Canpotex, your commitment to children’s nutrition is a critical component of our Emergency Nutrition program.
NUTRIEN Thank you, Nutrien, for your donation in support of Food Banks of Saskatchewan. So many food banks, including the SFBLC, benefit from your generosity. We are so thankful for your long-term support and the significant role you play in contributing to food security in the community and beyond.
FEDERATED CO-OPERATIVES LIMITED Federated Co-operatives Limited has provided in-kind support to our organization for many years. This support allows us to store frozen food that we can’t fit in our on-site freezer. This generous contribution allows us to direct funds to other urgent needs. We also want to give a big shout out for all the generous food donations, including an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, that provide a great source of nutrition to our Emergency Food Hampers.
CARGILL Thank you, Cargill, for being with us from the beginning of the Garden Patch. Without your early investment in community, we wouldn’t have grown so much without you. Your long-term commitment through financial donations and rolling up your sleeves to volunteer, are greatly appreciated.
MOSAIC Mosaic’s long-time support is something we deeply cherish. Your understanding of the importance of food literacy, food education, and the engagement we spark in our walls and at the Garden Patch, shine through in your dedication to the community. Thank you, Mosaic for your continued support.
YARDI Many thanks to our friends at Yardi, who have supported the SFBLC, and in particular the Garden Patch. It has always been a treat to have the “Yardi Yielders” team participating in our Adopt-A-Plot program. Your belief in the work we do, robust financial donations, and time volunteering means the world to us.
BROWNLEE FAMILY January 2022 was one of the highest usage months on record with 500 new individual users to the SFBLC. These increases can catch us by surprise but are made so much easier when donors step up to the plate to help us meet the increased need for emergency nutrition. These donor relationships build bridges between what is needed, and the ways in which we can respond. These last few years have driven home the importance of these relationships in even deeper ways. One powerful example is when the pandemic hit, Wayne and Ina Lou Brownlee were the first people we turned to. The Brownlee’s response greatly impacted our ability to operate continuously and extend support to people facing hard times. As significant donors to the SFBLC, they have quietly provided long-standing financial support over the past fifteen years, which is just one of many examples of their deep commitment to a food secure Saskatoon. Wayne and Ina Lou, we are so grateful to you for your generosity, and we thank you for standing with us and the community we serve.
J. CALYNIUK FAMILY Jules & Annette Calyniuk have been very generous supporters throughout the years, with donations ranging from high-quality protein for our Emergency Food Hampers, live auction gifts for the golf tournament and hundreds of special items for our Clothing Depot, including brand new beautiful boutique clothing. Jules and Annette have also provided staff appreciation lunches, equipment, advice, encouragement, and so much more. We are grateful for their support and steady presence in our organization, and within the community they so humbly support. These are donors who see what is needed and quietly go about the business of making a difference. With friends like these, we know we are not alone in our work. Thank you, Calyniuk family.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT!
FINANCIALS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Quinton Osatchuk (Board Chair) Senior Manager, Treasury & Energy Systems & Compliance, Nutrien
Ryan Sampson Director, Financial Planning & Analysis, ZYUS Life Sciences
Shannon Hood-Niefer (Vice-Chair) Chief Technology Officer, Sunnydale Foods
Bart Voswinkel Job Developer, CMHA
Anna Hopkins (Secretary) Manager, Stakeholder & Rightsholder, Creative Fire
Heather Kuttai Writer, Disability Advocate, SK Human Rights Commissioner
Laura Pizzey (Treasurer) Manager, Accounting, Canpotex Limited Tara Faris General Manager, Midtown (Cushman & Wakefield)
Wilton Angus Senior Labour Advisor, Jardeg Construction Grant Halford Retired Engineer | Business Advisor
BRIDGE BUILDERS
NEWSLETTER
receptionist@saskatoonfoodbank.ca www.saskatoonfoodbank.org