Regina Food Bank launches campaign to address food insecurity

The Regina Food Bank launched their fifth annual Mosaic Million Meal Challenge on Tuesday. (Jason Delesoy / CTV News)

The Regina Food Bank launched the fifth annual Mosaic Million Meal Challenge, a month-long campaign to help address food insecurity in the city.

The annual challenge aims to raise the equivalent of one million meals from Oct. 1 to Oct. 27, according to a release from the Regina Food Bank.

On Tuesday morning, the initiative kicked off at Regina’s Cornwall Centre, with remarks from John Bailey, the Regina Food Bank’s CEO, and Marnel Jones, the director of government of public affairs for the Mosaic Company, who is the title sponsor of the campaign.

To date, the Million Meal Challenge has raised 4,750,422 meals, with Mosaic matching donations up to $75,000.

“Mosaic is honoured to be the Regina Food Bank’s longest-standing supporter. We have backed the Food Banks fall campaign since 2012. This year, we stepped up to fund the Mosaic Market at the new Community Food Hub, where the dollars and food raised in October will fill its shelves and later kitchen cupboards,” Jones said.

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In 2023, the Regina Food Bank delivered a total of 3.26 million pounds of food, which was an increase of 17.6 per cent from the previous year.

To support the campaign, those interested can donate online, spread the word by using #MillionMealChallenge on social media, or organize their own food drive to raise funds and meals.

“With rising demand for food assistance, we’re counting on the generosity of Regina to make this year’s Million Meal Challenge a success. Every dollar donated helps us move closer to our goal of ensuring no one in our community goes hungry,” Bailey said.

The campaign will also hold a Mosaic Mile Challenge on Oct. 22, which invites the business community to help create a mile-long food path around Mosaic Stadium to contribute 100,000 meals toward the goal.