CALGARY FOOD BANK

Thank you, fans! Through your generosity, 53,900 pounds of food were collected for the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank through this year's Purolator Tackle Hunger program. The total will continue to grow as collection bins will remain in place through the Labour Day Classic.

The Calgary Stampeders were proud to once again be hosting the Purolator Tackle Hunger program at McMahon Stadium on July 31 when the Stamps took on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Fans were encouraged 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 return, fans had the opportunity to win an autographed Henry Burris jersey, receive a souvenir photo with the Grey Cup and enter a draw to win two tickets to the 2010 Grey Cup in Edmonton.

>> Watch the video
>> Photo gallery
 
This year, the Purolator Tackle Hunger program was held in conjunction with the Stampeders’ annual Be a Fan, Bring a Can food drive which had been held annually during the Labour Day Classic in September. All food and cash donations collected at the game will go to the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank.
 
“The entire Calgary Stampeders organization is proud to be a part of this program,” said Stampeders president/COO Lyle Bauer. “In the past we have hosted these initiatives separately, but after some internal discussions, we concluded that combining the two would allow us to focus our marketing and promotion of the food drive, streamline the process for fans and ultimately make the food drive as successful as possible. The Purolator Tackle Hunger program is a nationally marketed and supported campaign and will provide increased awareness and support for the Calgary Food Bank.”

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 have worked together with the Stampeders and the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank for the past six seasons on the Purolator Tackle Hunger program,” said Jason Edwards, Purolator sales director. “With the support of our local employees, the Stampeders and the Food Bank, we are encouraging fans to bring a donation to this Saturday's game and help tackle hunger in their community.”
 
Over the past five years, CFL fans have helped Purolator deliver more than 3 million pounds of food for food banks across Canada while the Be a Fan Bring a Can food drive had raised approximately  $425,000 worth of food and donations since its inception.
 
“Our relationship with the football club started almost two decades ago and the Calgary Food Bank is proud to partner with the Calgary Stampeders, Purolator and the CFL again this year. The Tackle Hunger program provides an easy way for Calgarians to support their neighbours, those in need of food,” said Calgary Food Bank representative Nollind van Bryce. “This year more than 140,000 Calgarians will come to the Calgary Food Bank for emergency food hampers. While demand has never been at this level before, we continue to meet the need because of the generosity of Calgarians.”
 
Stamps quarterback Henry Burris has been the team’s player representative with Purolator for the past four seasons.
 
Wives and girlfriends of Stampeders coaches and players had spearheaded the Be a Fan, Bring a Can food drive and will now lend their support to the Tackle Hunger program.
 
“We have always enjoyed being a part of the food drive,” said Peni Hufnagel. “We love to help where we can and now that these drives are being held together, we can focus our energy that much more.”
 
For fans who were unable to attend the game, collection bins will be set up in the Stampeders’ Ticket Office beginning today and will remain there through the Labour Day Classic on Sept. 6.