Red Deer Food Bank shows average impact for its food hampers and has low overhead costs. Yet a lack of financial transparency and poor disclosures about its work and programs results in a low rating of 1 star. This could be easily improved. 

Founded in 1984, Red Deer Food Bank provides emergency food requirements for those in need in Red Deer and the surrounding area. Food hampers are available for client pick-up Monday through Friday and contain shelf stable food. Red Deer Food Bank covers an area of 20,000 square kilometres in Central Alberta.

In 2019, Red Deer Food Bank assisted over 19,000 people, of which 40% were children, by distributing food hampers.

Red Deer Food Bank provides food to other agencies in Red Deer, such as Boy's and Girl's Club, Mustard Seed, Potter's Hands, Women's Outreach, soup kitchens, homeless shelters and kids camps. Red Deer Food Bank also supplies food to other food banks in Central Alberta.

In F2021, Red Deer Food Bank brought in $426k in monetary donations and $1.4 million in food donations. Administrative costs are 5% of revenues (excluding investment income) and fundraising costs are less than 1% of donations. For every dollar donated, 94 cents go to the cause. This is just within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending; however, it is not uncommon for food banks to have low overhead costs.

Red Deer Food Bank has funding reserves of $849k. Funding reserves can cover program costs for 1.7 years (excluding the cost of donated food).

The charity’s F2021 T3010 filing with the CRA disclosed $46k in gifts in kind to 17 qualified donees. This includes $7k to Lacombe Community Food Bank, $6k to Safe Harbour Society, $5k to Lord’s Food Bank and $5k to Potter’s Hands Ministries.

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Red Deer Food Bank for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on May 30, 2022 by Angelina Curwin.