Food bank encourages donations as Holiday Train rolls into Saskatoon

Saskatoon’s food bank is hoping for a boost in donations as a holiday tradition returns to the city for the first time since 2019.

The CPKC Holiday Train is set to arrive in the city on Tuesday, restoring a Christmas celebration that has been absent since 2019. The train will roll into the Bridge City on Tuesday evening, and once again the event will support the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre.

The food bank is calling on residents to drop off non-perishable foods at the event to help ensure nobody goes hungry during the holidays.

“The Holiday Train is a special event that warms the hearts of Saskatoon’s community members and serves as a reminder that ensuring food security is important,” the food bank said in a statement.

“The organization is aiming to fill 40 bins with urgently needed food items for emergency hampers.”

The food bank said its most-wanted items include baby food and formula, canned fruits and veggies, hearty soups and stews, whole-grain pasta and cereals, canned protein and peanut butter.

According to Laurie O’Connor, the food bank’s executive director, use of the food bank has spiked in the past five years.

“After about 18 months of living through increased inflation, folks are really struggling. We’re seeing about 23,000 (food bank users) per month,” she said in a recent interview with 650 CKOM.

“Pre-pandemic, we were probably seeing 18,000 people per month. I think across the country we’re seeing people struggling, all needing to turn to food banks.”

The Holiday Train event is set for 8:35 p.m. on Tuesday at the corner of Seventh Avenue and Warburton Street.