CBC Jam for the Food Bank takes over Ironwood Stage & Grill with live broadcast
Calgarians were treated to some great live music — and a special broadcast of The Homestretch from Inglewood's Ironwood Stage & Grill on Friday afternoon.
WATCH a portion of the broadcast right here:
The annual CBC Calgary Food Bank Drive is in full motion with lots of fun events to help raise $1 million before Christmas Eve — help that the food bank predicts it may need even more than in previous years.
You can catch the latest tallies, photos and video from our fundraising campaign in the blog at the bottom of this story.
Musical guests taking to the Ironwood stage included award-winning singer songwriter Troy Kokol, classically trained, opera-turned-blues-singer Jess Knights, jazz-folk-pop-fusion song-writing performer Allison Lynch and our house band, the Kinjo Brothers.
The Homestretch hosts Doug Dirks and Jenny Howe shared stories and in-depth interviews with:
Stephen Hair, Calgary actor who has played Scrooge for 25 years.
Spirit River Striped Wolf, Indigenous and LGBTQIA+ research analyst.
Shaun Hunter, local author of Calgary Through the Eyes of Writers.
Sean Britton, national karaoke champion.
Brian Keating, Homestretch nature columnist.
Alexia Sabau, Calgary-based Canada's Smartest Person Junior contestant.
Pat MacIntyre, Ironwood owner.
James McAra, Calgary Food Bank CEO.
In past years, CBC Calgary's $1-million goal has been pretty much assured, due in large part to generous donations from energy companies and a robust economy.
But this year's campaign comes with no such guarantees, the food bank says, as Calgary is still working to pull itself out of the economic downturn.
"The combination of things this year is worse than we have ever seen, so it's really difficult to say I'm concerned or optimistic. It's the first time I've ever been so 50/50 on it," Calgary Food Bank CEO James McAra said.
Hundreds of calls for help each day
The Calgary Food Bank started in 1982 after several religious groups joined forces in helping the city's hungry. The food bank's call centre now gets up to 325 calls a day asking for help.
Since its inception in 1985, the CBC Calgary campaign has raised more than $19 million to help feed hungry Calgarians.
Not sure what to give to the food bank? Here's a hint: marinated octopus and decades-old Jello don't make the cut. Watch CBC Calgary's Jenny Howe break it down for us in the video below
Last year, the CBC Calgary Food Bank Drive raised $1.4 million.
You can donate online anytime or in person at the following locations:
CBC Calgary (1000 Veterans Place N.W.):
Dec. 7-23 — Weekdays 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Dec. 7-23 — Weekends 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Dec. 24 — 7 a.m. to noon.
Suncor Energy Centre (150 Sixth Ave. S.W.):
Dec. 10-14 — 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Fifth Avenue Place (420 Second St. S.W.):
Dec. 17-19 — 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Donations will be accepted at CBC Jam for the Food Bank on Friday afternoon at Ironwood Stage & Grill.
Get social
Follow the action on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Show us how you are getting involved; make sure to tag your post with #CBCfeedsYYC.
On mobile? Get the latest fundraising tally, photos and video from CBC Calgary's Food Bank Drive in our live blog here.
