2023 Annual Report - Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre

Mission

At the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre we are committed to ensuring a food secure community where all people have access to safe, affordable, and nutritious food.

Vision

The Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre embraces its role as innovative and collaborative leaders in building an engaged, inclusive, healthy, and empowered community for all.

Values

Respect. Innovation. Collaboration. Compassion.

41% of people accessing services are children

Where We’ve Come From

Food Banks were established in Canada in 1984 in response to the recession. Intended as a temporary solution, there are now 36 food banks in Saskatchewan and 4,750 food banks and hunger relief agencies in Canada, from coast to coast.

A Growing Crisis

Nearly 40 years later, we see a crisis of people forced to rely on food banks. 41% of people accessing the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre services are children, and 1 in 5 children in Saskatchewan are experiencing poverty. It is worth noting that the province’s minimum wage is the lowest in Canada, and increasing rent, inflation and the rising cost of food have pushed people into more difficult circumstances. We anticipate troubling times ahead.

Evolve to address poverty at its very

core.

Our Response

The Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre has grown tremendously over the years. Beginning as a source of emergency food, the Board of Directors saw a need many years ago to expand the food bank to include a variety of programs extending far beyond this one service.

These initiatives offer hands-on workplace experience, a thriving garden patch, no-cost income tax preparation, cooking classes, and a volunteer engagement experience that brings people into the very heart of our cause.

The Need to Continuously Evolve

As we plan for the future, one thing is certain. To make a deeper and lasting impact within the community, we must radically evolve from providing emergency food and find innovative ways to build upon every program and service we offer to address poverty at its very core.

Message from the Board

Heather Kuttai Member of the Board of Directors

Let’s be honest. Sometimes the world feels like it is “too much.” The troubling economy and the rising cost of everything from housing to groceries to transportation are devastating our community, and we are only beginning to see how the pandemic has affected the mental health of countless folks, which presents a great challenge for people who were already struggling. A glance at the news, or a quick scroll through social media can make us feel like the fight for social justice feels less like a battle and more like a war. At the same time though, there are many champions who have doubled-down their efforts to support our community members who need the most help.

The Board of Directors recognizes that SFBLC is one of those champions who has remained rock solid in the face of this trying period, while at the same time, have been visionaries for a better and evolved way forward. Although she wrote it in 1988 for her commencement address to the

graduating class of Sarah Lawrence, the late Toni Morrison’s words on imagining a better world are more poignant than ever: “Don’t let anybody convince you this is the way the world is and therefore must be... A determined commitment must be redreamed, rethought, reactivated – by me and you.” Thank you to the staff for their determined commitment to the core values of respect and compassion, while also using collaboration and innovation to expand and evolve their dreams on what a food bank can be. We are continually inspired by you and your limitless energy and hope, as we are also humbled by the volunteers who are kind and generous with their time and their hearts. And to the donors who believe in the cause, give so much, and continue to ask what more they can do, we are immensely grateful.

Quinton Osatchuk | Board Chair

Senior Manager, Treasury & Energy Systems & Compliance (Nutrien)

Shannon Hood-Niefer | Vice Chair

Chief Technology Officer (Sunnydale Foods)

Wilton Angus

Senior Labour Advisor (Jardeg Construction)

Laura Pizzey | Treasurer

Operations Finance Controller (Graham Construction)

Anna Hopkins | Secretary

Manager, Stakeholder & Rightsholder Engagement (Creative Fire)

Tara Faris

General Manager Midtown (Cushman & Wakefield)

Ryan Sampson

Principal - Portfolio, Strategy & Development (BHP)

Bart Voswinkel

Job Developer (CMHA)

Heather Kuttai

Writer, Disability Advocate, SK Human Rights

Commissioner

Grant Halford

Retired Engineer, Business Advisor

Together, we are building stronger communities and brighter futures. Thank you, from all of us, a hundred times over.

Kimberley Tang

Associate Vice President Energy Products and Services (Federated Co-operatives Limited)

Joanne Baczuk

Director of Ecosystem Development (Ag-West Bio)

Plant Possibility

“Our main building is bursting at the seams and the logistics of operating the off-site clothing depot, warehouse, and garden patch drains resources. Generous donors, dedicated volunteers and staff have enabled the SFBLC to keep up with increased demand for services but we can no longer delay the need to find a new and functional home,”

This year, we were excited to announce that we’ve purchased land to build a new home for the SFBLC on Avenue P South. In July 2022 we shared the news that long-time partner, Nutrien had stepped up with $2.5M to launch the campaign.

“With this extraordinary gift from Nutrien, we can be confident that the campaign is off to a wonderful start and we extend our deepest gratitude. We are also thrilled to have Ms Laing join us in the capacity of Campaign Chair, providing volunteer leadership,”

This ongoing capital campaign is called Plant Possibility, and with this strong first step towards our new home, we can’t wait to see how we grow and evolve to better serve the community. Ongoing support for the campaign will have a transformative impact today and beyond for a more food secure community for all.”

Laurie O’Connor Executive Director Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre

Impact

Every March, Food Banks Canada conducts HungerCount to measure food insecurity in the country.

SFBLC’s 2023 HungerCount revealed that 15,231 unique users accessed Emergency Food Hampers in March alone, representing an increase of 27.9% from the previous year.

29% of clients stated the cost of food as their reason for accessing the food bank (that’s the second most pressing reason given). Last year, we served 236,983 emergency food hampers to the community.

87,212 Emergency Food Hampers offered to the community last year

Emergency Food Hampers

2,733,359 lbs of food offered to the community through our Emergency Food Hampers

102,658 L of fresh milk offered through our Milk For Children Program

155,652 lbs of food distributed by our warehouse to other agencies for their own programs and services

21,239 Visits to the Clothing Depot

Clothing Depot

21,239 visits to the Clothing Depot

Creating Opportunities

The Learning Pathway | 43 Participants

 Participants develop life skills, communication skills and self-confidence

 Participants are aware of training options and how to access programs

 Participants understand how to navigate the job search process to attain employment (job search, interviews, hidden job market, etc.)

 Participants develop fundamental workplace skills (e.g. basic literacy, numeracy, computer skills, etc.)

 Participants will develop an individualized employment action plan which identifies goals, skills, strengths, and barriers and outlines attainable steps to achieve the goals

The Workplace Experience Pathway | 59 Participants

 Participants access an employment experience (work assessment, work placement, job shadow, etc.)

 Participants obtain the necessary skills, certifications, tickets, and licensing to meet employer qualifications in their occupation of choice.

 Participants can work increasingly independently (e.g., phasing out job coaching/maintenance, etc.)

 Participants will develop an individualized employment action plan which identifies goals, skills, strengths, and barriers and outlines attainable steps to achieve the goals

 Participants are engaged in goal setting, maintain attendance, complete expectations, and access community resources when needed.

The Transitions Pathway | 36 Participants

 Participants have suitable and relevant vocational goals

 Individuals can manage career transitions

 Participants experience increased employment opportunities

The program cycle runs from Sept. 1, 2021, to Aug. 21, 2022

475 cubic yards of compost produced

Garden Patch

$30,000 in value of produce offered to Emergency Food Hamper recipients. Over 700 seedlings distributed to community members through the Clothing Depot.

91 varieties of vegetables, fruits & herbs grown

Community Volunteer Income Tax Clinic

7,184 lbs of food grown

3,695 people served

$10,685,482 injected into our local economy through tax refunds, GST Credits, and Canada Child Benefit payments.

Nutrition

71 Online cooking classes delivered

591 Ingredient kits delivered to participants

7,729 Healthy meals served through our cooking classes

3,801 Snacks and desserts made

656 Pieces of cooking equipment (measuring cups, baking sheets, slow cookers, etc.) provided to participants

Volunteer Hours Invested

6,415 hours Warehouse, Special Events, Client Services, and Clothing Depot

946 hours Garden Patch

915 hours Income Tax Program

283 hours Nutrition

8,559 Total Hours

Thank You

Wayne & Ina Brownlee

Thanks to the Brownlee Family Foundation, who have set a solid base for a food-secure Saskatoon for years to come. Long-time and dedicated supporters of Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre (SFBLC), Wayne and Ina Lou Brownlee have created the Brownlee Fund, an incredibly generous $2 million endowment, to support the food distribution program.

During his long and distinguished business career, Wayne invested much of his time promoting investments on a global scale, elevating PotashCorp in the global market. Wayne’s knowledge, skills and executive leadership were vital during massive, notable corporate mergers. He is known for his many successes in the industry that continue to benefit people and communities in Saskatchewan and strengthen the broader Canadian economy.

Wayne’s deep involvement in leading a global business and ensuring corporate success parallels his dedication to the community. Wayne and Ina Lou’s shared and genuine belief in community and elevating the quality of life for all is evident in their extensive list of generous philanthropic involvement in Saskatoon and area. The Saskatoon Community Foundation, Wanuskewin Heritage Park, Saskatoon Public School Foundation, and Biggar’s revitalization project are just samples of organizations that have benefited from his leadership and generous giving.

Being from Biggar, SK, the inherent sense of community for which Saskatchewan is known is a driver for Wayne and Ina Lou. Support of the SFBLC resonates with them, especially growing up on the farm,

Ina Lou has never lost her connection to the importance of food production and sustainability. Wayne’s view of their support of the SFBLC mirrors the fervent manner he applied in business, “Ina Lou and I support all the good community work you do, and we encourage you to be relentless in serving families in need! ” It is this model of philanthropic leadership for which he was honoured earlier this year with the province’s highest honour, the Saskatchewan Order of Merit.

Thank you, Wayne, and Ina Lou, for your incredible generosity and dedication to creating a community supportive of all.

Loraas

Loraas has been a significant supporter over the past 32+ years, offering in-kind disposal, recycling and composting to help our organization run smoothly. This cost savings has allowed Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre (SFBLC) to direct funds to other critical programs.

Thank you, Loraas, for your unwavering commitment!

BHP

In the summer of 2022, BHP Potash gifted a total of $40,000 to the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre. These funds allowed us to purchase much needed, nutritious items for our Emergency Food Hampers, like whole-grain pasta, sauce, canned fruits and vegetables. Thank you, BHP, for your incredible support and generosity.

Concorde

The in-kind donation of 7,200 sq. feet of warehouse space from Concorde continues to be a game-changer for us. The warehouse space has allowed us to continue purchasing large volumes of emergency food to ensure we can continue serving our community through these difficult times today and tomorrow. On top of this wonderful support, thank you, Concorde, and Les and Irene Dube, for your long-term donation of a semi-load of apples and oranges for our Christmas Hampers every year.

SIGA

Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) has been a huge supporter of the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre for many years; expressing their dedication to food security in the community of Saskatoon. Dakota Dunes Casino was a proud sponsor of 2022’s City-Wide Food Drive campaign and continues to support this annual campaign.

Thank you, SIGA, for your commitment to food security.

Federated CO-OP

Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) has provided in-kind support to our organization for many years. This act of generosity allows us to store frozen products that we can’t fit in our on-site freezer and allows us to direct funds to other urgent needs. We also want to give FCL a shout-out for the numerous food donations they’ve provided through the years, which give those who access our Emergency Food Hampers a great source of nutrition.

SaskMilk

SaskMilk is a long-term supporter of the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre. Their donations during the summer months help provide thousands of litres of milk to families in our community. With their support we can ensure that people who access our Emergency Food Hampers can receive proper nutrition.

Thank you, SaskMilk.

HSAS

Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan (HSAS) played a critical role in SFBLC’s Milk for Children program. During the month of September, we ran our Milk Month campaign to raise awareness of child hunger in our community and to offer children, and pregnant & nursing parents, with critical nutrition. HSAS’s gift helps secure the community with 6,944 litres of fresh milk.

Thank you, HSAS, for your generous support!

City-Wide Food Drive

The theme for our 2022 City-Wide Food Drive was Don’t Let Your Neighbour Fall Through The Cracks. The campaign focused on taking care of our neighbours through community support.

Milk Month

Every September, we call upon the community to get involved in Milk Month with the annual matching campaign from our friends at Canpotex. Thanks to your response, we exceeded our goal and $126,966.62 was raised! 102,658 litres of fresh milk to children and pregnant and nursing parents were offered to the community last year. That’s 10,000 more litres of milk than the previous year!

Light it Up

This past holiday season, we asked Saskatoon to shine a light on the ways that you’ve offered support for the community by joining us to Light It Up! Thanks to your support, we had another record breaking year.

Our New Home

Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre (SFBLC) has found a new home, located at 425 Avenue P South, in Saskatoon’s Pleasant Hill neighbourhood. It will soon be under construction, and will allow services and programs to be offered in one location, altering what is possible for the community. SFBLC will be able to increase the number of spots available in the work experience program, create a greenhouse for fresh vegetables for food hampers and community education, and increase operational capacity to allow us to spend more time with the people we serve. By learning more about the circumstances that cause people to walk through the door and find out what is needed in various areas of people’s lives, we hope to build upon an individual’s assets and reduce the need to access emergency food.

Building Assets

Walking beside community members to support personal, social, physical, financial, and human assets is the goal of this framework.

A focused approach to building these assets positions Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre (SFBLC) as allies, and connects visitors to SFBLC’s programs and other asset building agencies. This approach creates opportunities for authentic connection, exploration, and reflection.

Thank You

We believe we create the communities we live in. Thank you for standing with us as we tackle the tough issues faced by the community. Your support means the world to us. As we look ahead, we invite your continued support in the work we do together, as allies in poverty reduction, standing strong beside the community we hold close in our hearts every day.

A Simple Way You Can Support Us

We invite you to explore the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre (SFBLC) online through social media, and our website. By reading content, liking posts, sharing , and tagging others , you can help create awareness and demonstrate your interest in poverty reduction. Together, we can create a more food secure community.

To Community Members Who Visit Us

We want to thank you for being our teachers and our guides.

We respect the battles you face every day and celebrate your wins. Your strength and wisdom drives our commitment.

We stand with you in your journey and share your hope for better days ahead.