Once-bare shelves at Calgary's Veterans Food Bank now flush with groceries

After putting out a call for support, Calgary's Veterans Food Bank says it has had a record year for donations.

When the annual food drive started earlier this year, there were fears the tough economy would keep the shelves bare.

But president Dave Howard saidCalgarianscame through and then some.

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The Veterans Food Bank received $160,000 in cash donations this year, which it uses to purchase food gift cards.

Howard said that's up from $60,000 last year.

It has also received 180,000 kilograms of donated food, up from about 68,000 kilograms last year.

Howard said the food has filled four warehouses, and the support is especially needed by the food bank's clients in the current economy.

"They're younger vets and traditionally they'd find work within the oilpatch," Howard said.

"Well, that work isn't there anymore so that's a problem. Another problem is is that they're not getting their pensions; they're having to wait six months to 12 months to actually get that military pension."

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