11 Days of Giving - Day 7 - Edmonton's Food Bank
EDMONTON, AB – The Concordia University of Edmonton Department of Athletics & Recreation highlights Day 7 of the Thunder’s 11 Days of Giving campaign, as the student-athletes and teams have come together during this holiday season to give back to our community.
The Cross Country Running and Indoor Track teams knew that times are tough for lots of people in Edmonton this time of year, and decided that they could have the biggest impact to those in need by collecting food and cash items for Edmonton’s Food Bank. Through collecting cash and non-perishable donations, the team was able to go shopping for needed items by the food bank, collecting over $2000 worth of food items to drop off.
For Head Coach Matt Norminton, this was an easy decision to select the food bank, saying “The Edmonton Food Bank has been a pillar in the Edmonton community since 1981. This year, more than ever, families in our community need our support and many of us are so fortunate to not have to rely on charities like the Food Bank for support that's easy to forget about those that do need us. Our team has done an awesome job collecting food and funds from both my Running Room office where both myself and our assistant coach work and the Running Room Athletic Club athletes. We know that our donation isn't going to solve all of the shortfalls that the Edmonton Food Bank is experiencing this year however we hope that it puts a sizable dent in things.”. 2nd year student-athlete Anna Peacocke added “As the days grow colder and shorter, more people turn to resources like the food bank to help make ends meet. Donating to the food bank helps to support many people in the community throughout the winter!".
4th year runner and education student Brandon Toal spoke passionately about supporting the food bank, stating “As athletes, we are often concerned on optimizing our diets for performance but forget how fortunate we are to simply have food in the first place. The food bank reminds us there are people who struggle to meet this basic need - it is why we must strive to do our best and support them.”.
Despite the pandemic, the demands on the Edmonton Food Bank have remained high. “We are asking our donors to once again help our work, as they have so thoughtfully done this past year. It is only with their generosity that we are able to provide the kind of support to the community that we do,” says Marjorie Bencz, CM, Executive Director of Edmonton’s Food Bank. “This year has proven to be an ongoing struggle. We are very concerned for Christmas and what 2021 will bring – though, we are hopeful and optimistic that we can do this.”
Additional information for Edmonton’s Food Bank can be found at https://www.edmontonsfoodbank.com/.
More about the Thunder 11 Days of Giving Campaign:
With all of the struggles of the world in 2020, the student-athletes, coaches, and staff of the Thunder Department of Athletics & Recreation wanted to take this time of pause to get involved in our local community, and make it a better place right in time for the holidays. The 11 Days of Giving campaign challenged all of our student-athletes and teams to find a unique way to take advantage of this gift of time due to the COVID-19 pandemic and find a way to help those who need it most around us.