Calgary Mustard Seed asks community to give generously this Giving Tuesday, as more people struggle with food insecurity

It’s Giving Tuesday — an annual, global movement that’s centered around generosity, and specifically, giving back to the most vulnerable of neighbours.

While best known for their shelter services, the ongoing mission for the Calgary Mustard Seed is to give meals, shelter, and care for those in urgent need.

Byron Bradley with the organization says heading into the winter months, that sense of urgency is growing rapidly, and it’s food insecurity that is the biggest factor for many Albertans.

“Hunger right now is at an all time high and as the weather grows colder and the holidays draw nearer, we’re seeing an increase across western Canada,” he explained. “Alberta, unfortunately, has the highest number of food insecure households in all of Canada.”

“So, there’s about 835,000 people in Alberta that are living food insecure homes,” Bradley added.

The face of food insecurity has also changed, according to Bradley, and it isn’t about lack of effort, skill or motivation.

“A lot of the folks that we care for are working jobs, so we also provide them a lunch to go to work as well,”

Compared to this time last year, the Mustard Seed is serving about 700 more meals a day.

Bradley says between the soaring need and the rising cost of every meal they serve, they can’t do it without community support.

Donations made from Tuesday until midnight on Thursday will be matched by Acera Insurance — which will provide twice as many meals to hungry Calgarians.