Almost 90,000 people in Calgary had to use the services of the Calgary Interfaith Food Bank last year. In a well-to-do city of a million people that strikes me as a frightening number. It takes 75,000 hours of volunteer time and millions of dollars in food and financial donations to get the job done and Genome Alberta along with Calgary Technologies Inc want to do our part to help out.

In one of those 'previous lives' we've all had before we're doing what we're doing now, I was with the CBC and we joined forces with Petro-Canada to start what became an annual food drive.  In 1989 we raised over a million dollars and it wasn't until last year that the drive managed to hit that total again.  I'd like to help them go over the top once more by initiating our own Genome Alberta Food Bank effort with all the proceeds going into the CBC/Petro-Canada pot which is the Food Bank's largest single fundraising event.

Calgary may be having its share of hiccups in the current economic climate but overall the city, its people, and its businesses can't complain too much. We're asking the scientific and research community to step up and share a little - or a lot - and there are a couple of ways to help us out.

• You can come to the Calgary Technologies building where we are located and drop off a non -perishable food item in the bins located in the main floor lobby. All you have to do is pick up a few extra cans of soup or packages of pasta when you're shopping then leave them in our lobby.
• Or if you'd like to make a cash donation, you can come to our office in Suite 115 and we'll give you a tax receipt on the spot.

Could it get any easier ?
Well it could actually. On December 22nd the Genome Alberta staff will be camped out in the lobby of the CBC building just off Memorial Drive in Calgary's Northwest. We'll be collecting donations, handing out tax receipts, maybe offering you a cup of coffee, and helping to get everything loaded onto the Food Bank truck and taken to where it is most needed.
And as a bonus you can meet the Genome Alberta staff. Now there's a treat that can't be missed. We'll be there from 7:00 in the morning until 7:00 at night and working in shifts so drop by anytime.


To help you decide exactly what to put into the donation boxes here are a few items on the Foodbank's wish list.

• Pasta Sauce
• Pasta
• Peanut Butter
• Juice (1 litre)
• Canned Tomatoes
• Baby Formula with Iron
• Canned Beans in Tomato Sauce
• Cereal
• Canned and Dry Soup
• Baby Food (jars)
• Canned Fish
• Macaroni and Cheese
• Canned Vegetables
• Rice
• Canned Meat
• Canned Fruit
• Processed Cheese Spread (jar)

Be honest. If you're in Calgary and reading this you can probably afford to give something back to those who really need it at this time of year. It doesn't take long to pull up to the doors of the Calgary Technologies building, drop off your food or cash donation and then carry on with your day.
Hope to see you soon.

Mike