Calgary food bank gets 2,359 kg donation from Ismaili community to mark Ramadan

The Calgary Food Bank received a donation of almost 320 kilograms (700 pounds) of food on Monday, thanks to the city's Ismaili Muslim community.

The gift is part of Ismaili Civic's annual Ramadan food drive and puts the group on track to exceed last year's total food donation of 2,359 kilograms (5,200 pounds) of fresh and non-perishable foods for Calgarians facing food insecurity, the group says.

"In recent months, hundreds of people have visited the Calgary Food Bank for the first time — many who never thought that they would have to, some who were regular donors up until a short time ago," said the Calgary Food Bank's Avaleen Streeton in a release.

"The generous food and financial donations made during this year's Ismaili Civic Ramadan food drive will help Calgarians facing food insecurity so they no longer have to worry about where their next meal is coming from."

The group had help from Save-On-Foods stores around the city and many individual financial contributors to make the food drive possible.

"We're truly honoured and blessed to be able to serve during such a difficult time. It's definitely part of our faith, and an ethic of voluntary service is very important to us," said Ismaili Civic volunteer Fatima Moledina.

"Even though we don't have as many people on site as we normally would because of the pandemic, there's been tons of volunteers behind the scenes to help make it happen."

Ramadan ends on the evening on May 12.