Drumheller introduced a pilot program to tackle food insecurity in the valley.
‘JUST Groceries’ launched on May 11, providing grocery gift cards to food-insecure households through local social service agencies. The project came about through a $50,000 Alberta Food Security Grant, which the Community Development and Social Planning Department (CDSP) received affirmative news of on February 28, 2023.
$35,000 of the grant has been earmarked for the JUST Groceries program, with the remaining $15,000 going towards restarting the Older Adults Hot Meals program.
Partnering with CDSP, the Drumheller Poverty Reduction Alliance recommended adopting a grocery gift card food security model based on the Calgary charity I Can for Kids, which seeks to address the root problem of food insecurity, which is inadequate income.
The Drumheller Salvation Army, the local food bank provider, is one of the agencies distributing the gift cards as part of the program.
Major Robert Burrell is pleased to be a part of the program.
“It is a privilege to be one of the agencies chosen to provide distribution of these cards. We are in a position to see firsthand, each day, how deep the need is for this type of assistance in our community. This program provides us with a great opportunity to advance our mission here in the Drumheller Valley, as it is so aligned with our principles,” said Burrell.
Local grocery store, Freson Bros., partnered with CDSP for both the Hot Meals and JUST Groceries Program, providing a seven per cent discount on gift cards to their store. This generosity provided another $1,500 in gift cards for families with inadequate household income.
Dale Goulder, Freson Bros. store manager said, “Freson Bros. has had the privilege of being part of the Drumheller community for over 30 years and we take our responsibility to our community seriously. We’re proud to help support local community groups and honoured to partner with the town to help address local food insecurity.”
Extra Foods’ parent company, Loblaws, provides a bulk buying program (“Gift of Choice”), which gives a four per cent discount on gift cards purchased over a set volume.
Town of Drumheller Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Darryl Drohomerski is glad to see this initiative get off the ground.
“We’re thankful to the provincial government for providing the funds for this program, and we’re excited to be piloting this research-backed approach to tackle the root causes of food insecurity. We know through our recent Community Social Needs Assessment that affordability is an area of concern for some residents, and we hope this program goes a long way to help sustain Drumheller as a comfortable place for everyone to live and grow,” he said.
