Church partners with Calgary community to expand food distribution

• Centre Street Church calls for food donations while partnering with 30 community organizations to meet growing demand for prepared meals and food hampers. 180K pounds of food distributed during COVID-19.
• The population of people coming to CSC for food support has been changing and growing, even before COVID-19. The demand is expected to increase.
• The church has launched construction of its Central Campus expansion, which will include a facility to meet the growing demand for help, physically, financially and spiritually.

CALGARY, AB, Oct. 8, 2020 /CNW/ - Calgary's largest church has partnered with over 30 organizations across Calgary to get food into the hands of people who are struggling during the pandemic. In advance of Thanksgiving Centre Street Church (CSC) is calling all Calgarians to continue donating food and building on the momentum of government and community support during COVID-19 and the economic downturn. 

"Even before COVID-19, the population of people coming to us for food support had been changing and growing," says Wayne Smele, Executive Pastor at Centre Street Church. Smele notes that it is not only traditionally marginalized populations needing support, but many middle-class families facing job loss. "That growth in need is one of the reasons why we started construction to expand our food distribution program here at Centre Street Church.  We expect the need to increase even more."

Since COVID-19 began, CSC has distributed around 180K pounds of food, including 21,073 prepared meals to community organizations that get them into the hands of people in need. These populations include seniors, families in crisis, single parents, high risk youth and children. Since 2016, in partnership with the Calgary Food Bank, CSC has distributed over 800K pounds of food to Calgarians in need.

"Governments on all levels have responded, and we know that Calgarians have stepped up with compassion in unprecedented ways," notes Steve Griffin Pastor of Compassionate Ministry at CSC. "We want to continue building on that momentum, as income and volunteer support changes with the busyness of the fall season. We are accepting food donations so that we can extend the impact and longevity of our prepared meal programs."

Statistics Canada reports that food insecurity among Canadian households is significantly higher during COVID-19, impacting nearly one in seven Canadians. Calgarians can donate food or funds at the Calgary Food Bank or CSC's Central Campus (East Entrance) at 3900 2 St NE, Calgary, AB T2E 9C1.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITY:

Backgrounder, Fact Sheet, B-roll video clips, photos, are available at cschurch.ca/mediameals. Interviews with our pastor of Compassion Ministries will be available Friday, October 9, 2020. 

SOURCE Centre Street Church (CSC)

To request an interview, please contact Pamela Aramburu, CSC Communications Director at 403-830-7463 or email [email protected].