Community Comes Out to Support The Salvation Army’s Stuff the Bus Food Drive

On Aug. 31, the annual Stuff the Bus food drive took place in Drumheller, Alta. The Salvation Army partnered with Highway 9 Express Ltd. and the Freson Bros. Drumheller (Chain Grocery stores), to make this event a reality.

People attending the food drive were encouraged to donate food to help refill the food bank in Drumheller. Cash donations were also accepted. The event hosted a BBQ, which also helped raise some additional cash. This event has been taking place in Drumheller for over 12 years.

According to Amanda Courtenay, community and family services worker at The Salvation Army in Drumheller, this year’s campaign was a great success, surpassing the Army’s initial benchmark.

“We could not do the work we do without their help.”

“We raised $3,059.70. And then the weight of our food donations was 1,002 lb., which was higher than last year,” Amanda said.

Additionally, the BBQ helped raise an extra $770.

The community of Drumheller has never been shy when it comes to showing up for The Salvation Army. Amanda says that anytime events such as these are advertised, residents will come out to support them.

“We live in a great community. If we are in need, and we put out a call, the community will gather and actually donate what we need. Our community here is amazing,” she added.

“We’d like to thank the community for always being there and supporting our local food bank.”

The food donations that were raised will play a crucial role in ensuring the food bank is well-stocked to meet the demand in the fall.

Like many other food banks across the country, The Salvation Army in Drumheller has also seen an increase in the demand for food due to the rising cost of living. However, according to Amanda, the community has been there all year round to generously help them fill their needs.

“We’d like to thank the community for always being there and supporting our local food bank in Drumheller. We could not do the work we do without their help,” Amanda said.

Last year The Salvation Army served 3.7 million meals at shelters and through feeding programs.

By Juan Romero