Banff Food & Friends Summer Update

Every Monday night we get the joy of welcoming our Banff community around the table for a hot meal and good company. Banff Food and Friends has never just been about food. It is about neighbours meeting, friendships starting, and everyone knowing they have a place to belong.

This summer we have been especially grateful for two leaders who help make it all happen.

Ji Won Baxter, Program Coordinator
Ji Won has stepped into the role of Program Coordinator and has been a steady presence every week. She lines up menus with the chefs, coordinates volunteers, takes photos, posts updates, and somehow still finds the time to greet guests as they arrive. If the night feels warm and welcoming, a lot of that is thanks to Ji Won’s care and attention.

Paul Brown, Operations Manager
Paul joined our team this summer as Operations Manager. He works behind the scenes making sure the kitchen runs smoothly, orders are placed, and supplies are where they need to be. He has also been very smart about bulk purchasing, which keeps the pantry stocked and helps stretch our dollars further. His steady hand has been a real gift to the program.

Summer by the Numbers
This summer we served 27% more meals than last summer. That means hundreds more neighbours were able to sit down to a meal together. And while overall costs went up with the extra plates, our cost per meal actually went down a little, from $3.26 last year to $3.21 this year. More people, better value, same spirit of generosity.

An Invitation
Banff Food and Friends is always free for anyone who walks through the doors, and it only happens because of the generosity of donors, sponsors, and volunteers. If you would like to help us keep the meals coming and the doors open, we would love for you to consider making a gift to St George’s Anglican Church. Every contribution helps.

Thank You
We could not do this without so many people and partners. Thank you to our funders: The Pauw Foundation, The Banff Canmore Foundation, Pursuit, the Town of Banff, The Myron and Catherine Tetreault Foundation, and our friends at Banff Food Rescue who provide desserts each week.

We are also especially thankful for our local restaurant partners Zyka Banff, Saffron Indian Bistro, and Arctos and Bird, who step in as “Rockstar Dinner” sponsors. These restaurants not only cook and provide whole meals, they often bring their staff to serve alongside us.

And of course, to our volunteers and donors, thank you. From chopping and stirring to setting tables and washing dishes, your hands and hearts make Monday nights possible.

Together, we are feeding Banff not just with food, but with friendship and care.