Grande Prairie Community Comes Together to Help Fill Salvation Army Food Bank Shelves
Grande Prairie, Alberta – The community spirit was on full display as hundreds of volunteers, organizations, businesses, service clubs, and residents came together for the annual Rotary Community Food Bank Drive in support of The Salvation Army Food Bank.
What began more than 30 years ago as a simple brown bag campaign through the local newspaper has grown into one of Grande Prairie’s most significant annual community events. Today, the food drive resembles a city-wide harvest festival, bringing together neighbours, neighbourhoods, community groups, and local organizations with the common goal of helping families facing food insecurity.
This year’s drive saw approximately 700 volunteers participate, including members of all four Rotary Clubs, the Interact Club, ANAVETS, Army & Air Force Cadets, sports teams, Scouts, Cubs, Girl Guides, radio stations, local companies, churches, city officials, and countless community members.
Together volunteers collected:
- 68,750 pounds of food
- 40 pallets of donations
- $8,490 in online donations
- $4,680 in cash donations
“This food drive represents so much more than collecting food,” Major Peter Kim, Salvation Army said. “It is the entire city coming together to support neighbours in need. Every volunteer, every organization, every donor, and every household that sets out a bag of food plays an important role.”
The need continues to grow. In 2025, The Salvation Army Food Bank served 11,216 individuals from 4,458 households, with children making up 43% of those assisted. The food bank distributed nearly 299,000 lbs of food through 5,979 hampers and expects demand to increase further in 2026. While the Rotary Community Food Bank Drive provides critical supplies each fall, The Salvation Army also relies on its annual Christmas Kettle Campaign to help meet needs throughout the year.
The Rotary Community Food Bank Drive has become a cherished tradition for many residents and a first-time experience for others. It is a powerful reminder of what can happen when an entire community comes together to support its neighbours.
