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Marjorie Bencz, executive director, Edmonton Food Bank, outside the food bank on July 28, 2022. Photo by LARRY WONG /Postmedia Network
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Combining grace and mercy in the same thought is, to a degree, a choice. It is, though, a deep-rooted skill, ignited first by one’s heart, and then safely sailing both traits through the day’s myriad issues.
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Yet, Marjorie Bencz does it. And does it well.
Bencz does have a close familiarity with grace and mercy: in 1987 she spent time volunteering with the Edmonton Food Bank, and a short two years later, held the executive director’s position.
She has been forever thankful — her face clearly shows it, while always sharing the need for more food donations so fewer Edmontonians go to bed hungry.
We hear that appeal in her voice.
It’s the August long weekend. Bencz will be found walking around Hawrelak Park, smiling, greeting folks with hopes they will contribute a non-perishable food item — or cash — as they enjoy the Heritage Festival.
It would be a highfalutin occasion: the same year the Heritage Festival leaves Hawrelak Park as the popular village green gets a new facelift, it would be nice if the Food Bank announced shelves were full and it would be soon shutting its doors.
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Ah yes.
Wishful thinking.
Here’s the reality — the Food Bank helped 34,867 people in June, the largest number of hampers ever in their 41-year history.
COVID-19 crumbs keep dropping.
Bencz told reporters late last week whatever food was collected in 2021 is, simply, gone.
So is $1 million from the Food Bank’s bank account, used to replenish stock.
It makes you wonder, with sincere community spirit, where we will be a year from now.
People in our city have so much potential, so much to share, so much to make the place we call home so much more vibrant.
But that task cannot even take any planning when we’re hungry.
How can it?
And while I can wheel up on my soap box — proud to do it, I must truly confess, when it involves people who are hungry — to somehow inspire you, my friend, to give what you can at the Heritage Festival, we, as a community, need more help.
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All levels of government need to walk this journey. Not for us but, indeed, with us.
Very early on in my reporting career I wrote extensively on charities — but, more importantly, the people who were helped, and the people out there helping.
A distinguished gentleman I could listen to for hours was already a seasoned veteran in the sector in the mid 1980s. I’ll never forget something he said during one of our visits.
“It’s too bad,” he said, pausing to carefully pluck the next few words from his huge experience, “Edmonton now needs a food bank.”
maybe yes
But tens of thousands of Edmontonians got food when they needed it.
Marjorie Bencz is grateful for that, but knows the lineup to the door is getting longer.
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