An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry, any good thing to make us all merry
Food banks didn’t always exist in Canada. People who struggled to make ends meet went hungry or relied on scattered charities. Then in 1981 the Edmonton Food Bank became Canada’s first of its kind. Over the years that I lived in South Edmonton, I donated food occasionally and $100 every birthday. Cash donations are essential to food banks; cash often stretches further than food items because it enables bulk purchasing and can cover the kinds of expenses that go beyond a jar of peanut butter or a bag of apples.
Sometimes I couldn’t donate to the food bank when my freelance income bottomed out. I never knew when I would shift from being a donor to being a client. One time a volunteer eyed my shabby clothes and asked with a smile if I was sure I could afford this. Yes, I answered, I had enough to get by, and some people didn’t have enough to get by. Fair is fair.
I came home to BC in 1989, but I will never forget the welcoming atmosphere of the Edmonton Food Bank, its importance to its community, and its fine example to the rest of the country. It’s still my shining model for how we can all contribute a little or a lot to help each other.
Not everybody’s living high on Alberta’s strong economy, and some need a helping hand. This year I’ll donate to the Mustard Seed in Victoria, but for old times’ sake I’ll also send some money to the Edmonton Food Bank. I hope you’ll consider doing the same wherever you live – support your local aid groups and also send what you can afford to the Edmonton Food Bank for showing us the way – with a smile.
Every year writer and editor Rhonda Parrish invites other writers to take part in Giftmas at the Edmonton Food Bank. This year I decided, why not? It brought back happy memories of my time in Edmonton, a city with a heart. Thanks, Rhonda!
If you’ve read this far, and especially if you’ve donated to the Edmonton Food Bank, you deserve something for your efforts. My short story “Hedd” appeared in a slightly different form in On Spec #47 Winter 2001/2002 and was noted In Best American Short Stories 2003 (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2003).
“Hedd” lives here: Hedd
And here’s the donation link for the Edmonton Food Bank: