Stuff the Bus brings in 16,111 pounds of food and $148,000 for Saskatoon Food Bank

Rock 102’s Stuff the Bus event brought in 16,111 pounds of food along with a record-breaking $148,652 for the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre.

The 20th edition of the annual event took place on Thursday at the Co-op Food Store on Eighth Street, with the goal of filling a Saskatoon Transit bus to the brim with donated food for the food bank. It turned out that one bus wasn’t enough this year, as generous donors piled up two busloads of non-perishable food.

Read More:

“We are incredibly grateful to each and every community member who contributed to Stuff the Bus,” Laurie O’Connor, the food bank’s executive director, said in a statement.

“The impact of Stuff the Bus goes beyond the numbers,” Laurie O’Connor said. “It represents the spirit of Saskatoon—of neighbours feeding neighbours, of coming together in times of need.” (Rock 102/Submitted)

“Your support ensures that families in Saskatoon have access to the nutritious food they need, especially during challenging times.”

The annual event started in 2005 when Eroca Pellerin, a Saskatoon Transit operator, decided to do something to help those in need. She approached Saskatoon Transit with the idea, and Stuff the Bus was born. Over the 20 years the event has been running, it has brought in more than 533,111 pounds of food donations and raised more than $685,682 to help fight hunger in the community.

“The impact of Stuff the Bus goes beyond the numbers,” O’Connor added. “It represents the spirit of Saskatoon—of neighbours feeding neighbours, of coming together in times of need, and of creating a stronger, more connected community.”

About 23,000 people make use of the food bank every month, and more than 40 per cent of them are children.

Rock 102 is the sister station to 650 CKOM.