Edmonton's Food Bank
STAR RATINGCi's Star Rating is calculated based on the following independent metrics: |
✔+
FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY
Audited financial statements for current and previous years available on the charity’s website.
A
RESULTS REPORTING
Grade based on the charity's public reporting of the work it does and the results it achieves.
Good
DEMONSTRATED IMPACT
The demonstrated impact per dollar Ci calculates from available program information.
NEED FOR FUNDING
Charity's cash and investments (funding reserves) relative to how much it spends on programs in most recent year.
90%
CENTS TO THE CAUSE
For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 90 cents are available for programs.
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OVERVIEW
About Edmonton's Food Bank:
Edmonton's Food Bank is a 5-star charity with Good impact and above average results reporting grade. It is financially transparent and has overhead spending outside of Ci's reasonable range. With its current reserves, the charity can cover one year and nine months of annual program costs.
Founded in 1981, Edmonton’s Food Bank (EFB), also known as Edmonton Gleaners Association, collects and distributes food to people in need. EFB also conducts research to find long-term solutions to the underlying causes of hunger. In F2022, Edmonton’s Food Bank states that it served an average of 30,787 people each month, and around 40% of its clients are children.
Edmonton’s Food Bank’s main program is food distribution. It distributes food through a variety of community programs that aim to combat food insecurity, such as Hampers, Agency Meal and Snack Programs, Emergency Bags, S.N.A.C.K. Programs, and After the Bell. It did not provide a spending breakdown for these programs in F2022.
In F2022, Edmonton’s Food Bank distributed $35.5m ($25.4m in F2020) in food donations and spent a further $3.1m on buying food ($2.1m in F2020). In total, it gave out 5.9 million kg of food during the year (4.8 million kg in F2020). EFB distributes food to 320 local agencies, shelters, churches, school programs, and food depots to reach people in need. This includes 88 schools that EFB works with through its S.N.A.C.K. (Supporting Nutrition For All Classes And Kids) Programs. Edmonton’s Food Bank reports that it helped local agencies distribute around 450,000 meals and snacks each month in F2022.
EFB also prepares and distributes food hampers. Food hampers are specialized food supply boxes created based on each client’s needs, such as household size and dietary restrictions. Clients can also request additional supplies, including pet food, school snacks, and toiletries. In F2022, the charity provided food hampers to 67,046 people (60,896 people in F2020). During the year, Edmonton’s Food Bank distributed 39,744 litres of milk (32,733 litres in F2020) and 138,240 dozen eggs (131,040 dozen in F2020).
Edmonton’s Food Bank conducted surveys in 2015, 2018 and 2021 to learn more about the needs and demographics of its clients. In 2021, EFB found that only 17% of its clients were employed (down from 22% in 2018). A third of the people surveyed lost their job due to covid-19. The charity reports that in 2021, 70% of its clients were not connected to other forms of support to help them with their needs. Edmonton’s Food Bank has its Beyond Food program to address client needs and promote self-sufficiency. Beyond Food provides job skills training, computer literacy skills, first aid training, and counselling services. In F2022, EFB reached 854 clients through Beyond Food. The charity reports that 70% are employed after being in the program.
In F2022, EFB bought a new warehouse due to the increase in people using its services. It opened in June 2023. The warehouse is used to store nonperishable food, as a depot location, and a pantry for clients.
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Results and Impact
Edmonton’s Food Bank provides emergency food bags for various social service providers that work with individuals in crisis. EFB prepares emergency bags with non-perishable items, such as canned soup, canned vegetables, peanut butter, bottled water, and juice. For certain agencies, EFB also includes feminine hygiene products, diapers, and baby formula. In F2022, EFB distributed 1,021 emergency bags (321 in F2020).
While Ci highlights these key results, they may not be a complete representation of Edmonton's Food Bank’s results and impact.
Charity Intelligence has given Edmonton's Food Bank a Good impact rating based on its demonstrated impact per dollar spent.
Impact Rating: Good

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Finances
Edmonton’s Food Bank received $11.5m in donations in F2022. It also received $35.5m in donated food. Administrative costs are 2% of revenues (less investment income) and fundraising costs are 8% of cash donations. This results in total overhead spending of 10%. For every dollar donated to the charity, 90 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.
Edmonton’s Food Bank had total reserve funds of $13.5m in F2022. Reserve funds are the charity’s cash and investments. Excluding the cost of donated food, funding reserves can cover around one year and nine months of annual program costs.
Charity Intelligence has sent this update to Edmonton’s Food Bank for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.
Updated on August 4, 2023 by Alessandra Castino.
Financial Review
Fiscal year ending December
|
2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
---|---|---|---|
Administrative costs as % of revenues | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.5% |
Fundraising costs as % of donations | 7.8% | 8.2% | 6.2% |
Total overhead spending | 9.6% | 9.9% | 7.7% |
Program cost coverage (%) | 175.8% | 220.7% | 218.8% |
Summary Financial StatementsAll figures in $000s |
2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
---|---|---|---|
Donations | 11,449 | 10,065 | 13,239 |
Goods in kind | 35,488 | 31,813 | 25,423 |
Government funding | 14 | 276 | 2,155 |
Investment income | (581) | 216 | 151 |
Total revenues | 46,370 | 42,370 | 40,967 |
Program costs | 7,652 | 6,423 | 5,669 |
Donated goods exp | 35,488 | 31,813 | 25,423 |
Administrative costs | 846 | 740 | 617 |
Fundraising costs | 892 | 822 | 826 |
Other costs | 4 | 4 | 33 |
Total spending | 44,882 | 39,802 | 32,568 |
Cash flow from operations | 1,488 | 2,568 | 8,400 |
Capital spending | 2,420 | 815 | 981 |
Funding reserves | 13,454 | 14,174 | 12,404 |
Note: Ci reported program, administrative, and fundraising costs from the charity’s T3010 filings with CRA. Ci reported government funding from the T3010 and removed the amounts from donations. Ci included interest expenses, reported on the T3010, in other costs rather than administration. Ci excluded amortization of deferred capital contributions, decreasing revenues by $104k in F2022, $94k in F2021, and $77k in F2020. Ci adjusted for deferred donations and received capital contributions, affecting total revenues by $215k in F2022, $159k in F2021, and $141k in F2020. Ci included realized and unrealized gains (losses) in investment income, affecting revenues by ($644k) in F2022, $58k in F2021, and $47k in F2020.
Salary Information
$350k + |
0 |
$300k - $350k |
0 |
$250k - $300k |
0 |
$200k - $250k |
0 |
$160k - $200k |
0 |
$120k - $160k |
1 |
$80k - $120k |
2 |
$40k - $80k |
7 |
< $40k |
0 |
Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2022
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Comments & Contact
Comments added by the Charity:
Charity Contact
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