Saskatoon Food Bank kicks off ‘Light It Up’ campaign on Giving Tuesday

The Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre kicked off its annual Light It Up holiday campaign on Giving Tuesday.

UFCW Canada donated $10,000 to kick off this year’s campaign, which the food bank said is one of its most important fundraisers of the year.

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President for the UFCW 248P Saskatchewan, Pat Horbay, said the cost of going to a grocery store can be “outrageous” for some people, and that is why the union has chosen to donate to the food bank.

“It’s sad. People have full time jobs (and) they still can’t afford to eat,” he said. “We don’t know where that problem is coming from.”

Although many Saskatoon residents have tight wallets, O’Connor said the community is extremely generous when it comes to helping the food bank.

“I think despite everyone feeling the crunch for the cost of living. We’re seeing folks come out in droves to already support us in this campaign.”

O’Connor said the generous donation from UFCW could help the food bank purchase around 7,000 liters of milk for families and children.

Around 20 per cent of people who access the food bank have full-time jobs, according to O’Connor.

“Saskatchewan has one of the lowest minimum wages in the country, and that’s a crunch for people,” she said. “Being able to work one minimum wage job doesn’t mean you’re going to be able to make ends meet with all of the things that folks have to pay for.”

The Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre launches its “Light It Up” holiday campaign on Dec. 2 2025. (Mia Holowaychuk/650 CKOM)

O’Connor urges the community to think about donating nutritious pantry-safe foods this holiday season. With 40 per cent of food bank requests made on behalf of children, O’Connor says formula and baby food are particularly needed.

The food bank provides more than 23,000 emergency food hampers each month, and its learning centre also helps people who need income tax resources and learning opportunities to support them through difficult times. The learning centre helps individuals “access employment-ready certificates, skill development, and other programs that help build pathways out of poverty,” the organization noted.

“The community continues to show incredible generosity, even in the face of growing challenges,” Laurie O’Connor, the food bank’s executive director, said in a statement.

“This campaign reminds us that when we come together, we can make a real difference in people’s lives. Every act of giving helps bring light and hope to someone who needs it.”

Monetary donations can be made online. To learn more about the campaign, visit the food bank’s website.

– with files from 650 CKOM’s Mia Holowaychuk