CALGARY FOOD BANK

The Calgary Stampeders and Purolator are proud to team up for the annual Purolator Tackle Hunger food drive.

Fans are encouraged every year to bring non-perishable food items or cash donations to the game and drop them off to the Purolator and Food Bank volunteers, as well as wives and girlfriends of Stampeders coaches and players stationed at the stadium gates.

In 2011, fans donated a record-breaking 104,300 pounds of food as well as cash donations for the food bank on July 23 when the Stamps played host to the Edmonton Eskimos.

"We are extremely proud of the way our fans have once again answered the call and so overwhelmingly supported the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank," said Stampeders president/COO Lyle Bauer. "This year's record-breaking total of food collected reinforces what we already knew about the kindness and generosity of Stampeders fans and we as an organization can not thank them enough."
 
Additionally, Stampeders players, coaches, administration staff and members of the Stampeder Outriders have been raising food through an internal food drive.
 
“It is a privilege to be involved with a great program like this,” said Stampeders quarterback Henry Burris, who proudly serves as a spokesperson for the program. “It’s great to help out members of the community who are in need, not only with the food we’ve been able to raise but also by bringing awareness to an issue that affects so many.”

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In addition to the food drive, every time a CFL quarterback gets sacked throughout the regular season, Purolator will donate the equivalent of the quarterback’s weight in food to the CFL hometown food bank.
 
"Purolator is proud to continue to work with the Stampeders and the Calgary Food Bank on the Purolator Tackle Hunger program," said Jason Edwards, Purolator Sales Director for the Prairies region. "With the support of our local Purolator team mates, the Stampeders and the Food Bank, we are encouraging fans to bring a donation to this Saturday's game, get their photo with the Grey Cup, and help tackle hunger in their community."
 
Over the past five years, CFL fans have helped Purolator deliver more than three million pounds of food for food banks across Canada while the Be a Fan Bring a Can food drive had raised approximately  $535,000 worth of food and donations since its inception.

"The Calgary Food Bank, the Calgary Stampeders, and Purolator have in common a commitment to help alleviate hunger in Calgary," said Calgary Food Bank CEO James McAra. "For almost 20 years, we have been working together to collect and distribute food to Calgarians in need.

"Tackle Hunger is an important annual event that not only collects a significant amount of food and cash donations for the Food Bank but also helps raise awareness about the issue of hunger. This year, our Emergency Food Hamper Program will provide food to more than 140,000 Calgarians; almost 60,000 of these will be children! Because of initiatives like Tackle Hunger, the Food Bank continues to be able to provide the support so many Calgarians need."