Star Mechanical Edmonton Staff Donates $6,000 to Food Bank

Edmonton, AB - At its first in-person Christmas party since the start of the pandemic, Star Mechanical Edmonton stepped up to bring some needed cheer to less fortunate community members through a $6,000 donation to Edmonton’s Food Bank.

Each holiday season, Star Mechanical Edmonton raises money for different charitable causes as a way to give back to the community. With a team of more than 100 hardworking employees, the heating and plumbing company takes pride in its track record of helping families for over 20 years.

In light of rising food costs, Star’s team chose to gift the money raised this year to Edmonton’s Food Bank, entrusting the organization to allocate the funds in a way that helps people who need it most.

After raising $3,000 in raffle ticket sales at the event, Star Mechanical Edmonton matched employee contributions.

“Going into the holiday season, we wanted to make sure we were doing what we could to support those who need a little extra help this time of year. Knowing that the cost of food is rising and that more people than ever are relying on the food bank, we wanted to do our part to ease people's grocery bills,” said Brian Yarumchuk, General Manager, Star Mechanical Edmonton.

Since the start of the pandemic, Edmonton’s Food Bank, like other food banks across the country, has seen a dramatic rise in the number of people experiencing food insecurity in the past few years. Rising food costs and higher fuel prices make it more challenging for food banks and volunteers to run essential programming. Food banks in Canada rely heavily on donations from individuals and the corporate sector to keep food hampers stocked and critical programs running.

Danielle Kahoe, Accounting Assistant at Star Mechanical Edmonton, said the annual Christmas funding drive helps strengthen Star’s company culture by bringing everyone together around a common cause.

“It feels good to support our community. It’s one of the reasons I’m so proud to work here, knowing that our team is always happy to jump in and support families who need some extra help,” said Danielle.

Founded in 1981, Edmonton’s Food Bank is notably the first food bank established in Canada. According to its website, the food bank now supports more than 30,000 people experiencing food insecurity each month, 40 percent of whom are children.

In addition to its food bank warehouse operations running throughout 68 depots across the city, Edmonton’s Food Bank also advocates government on behalf of the less fortunate while delivering a diverse range of community support services, from employment counselling and budgeting assistance to retail food purchases and meal programs for schools.