MOOSE JAW — The Moose Jaw & District Food Bank announced a new expansion that will include the option to shop online and have food delivered right to your door starting later this month and made possible through a sponsorship with SaskGaming.
“SaskGaming and Casino Moose Jaw are proud to provide $25,000 in support of the Moose Jaw & District Food Bank’s delivery service program,” MLA Megan Patterson announced recently.
“The Government of Saskatchewan is committed to ensuring socially responsible gaming and the sector shares the benefits of gaming with Saskatchewan’s communities and non-profit organizations,” she said. “I’d like to commend Jason (Moore) and his staff, as well as the many volunteers, donors, and partners of the (food bank).”
The $25,000 is from SaskGaming’s annual sponsorship pool of $100,000, which is divided between Moose Jaw and Regina where two of its casinos are located. As Moose Jaw’s overall income contribution is around 20 per cent, that percentage represents the minimum amount to be reinvested back into the community.
“For 40 years, the Moose Jaw & District Food Bank has been driven by one mission: to end hunger in our community by making healthy, nutritious food available to those who struggle with food insecurity,” announced Jason Moore, executive director of the food bank.
Moose Jaw’s food bank serves over 1,500 clients each month and its services reach approximately one in 12 local households, many of whom have children. This accounts for around 800 households each month, a number that has doubled from the roughly 400 households served in 2022.
“The needs of the food bank’s clientele are diverse, and… (that) need is growing,” stated Blaine Pilatzke, president and CEO of SaskGaming. “Not everyone has mobility to visit this location in person, so when we learned of this opportunity to sponsor the delivery service program, we were eager to get on board.
“Sponsorship of the delivery service program demonstrates our commitment to Moose Jaw, a community where we employ nearly 100 people and invest at least 20 per cent of our sponsorship dollars,” he added.
The food bank’s last major expansion took place on Oct. 28, 2024, with the introduction of “The Harvest Pantry,” its new client-choice shopping model allowing clients to select the items they’ll use instead of receiving a randomly assorted food hamper.
The Harvest Pantry was made possible through a three-year, $90,000 sponsorship agreement with the Moose Jaw Co-op — one partnership that highlights the reliance of the non-profit on outside support.
Since 2019, Casino Moose Jaw has supported the food bank by providing nearly $70,000 in sponsorship funding — an amount that has now grown by an additional $25,000.
That support on behalf of SaskGaming isn’t going anywhere, Pilatzke confirmed. “Here in Moose Jaw, there is such a need in the community and we’re really pleased that we have this opportunity to assist,” he said.
Across the province, the gaming sector contributes more than $247 million (2023-2024) each year to over 300 communities. Casinos Moose Jaw and Regina are operated by SaskGaming, which is in turn owned by Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan.
Moore affirmed the role played by Casino Moose Jaw and said he was thrilled to learn of the new sponsorship agreement. “Our mission to end hunger in our community greatly depends on the giving of time, money, and effort by compassionate, conscientious people and businesses like Casino Moose Jaw and its staff,” he said. “Your generosity is changing lives, and together we will end hunger.”
The new delivery program is set to come into effect in late January with a date to be announced.
The Moose Jaw & District Food Bank is located at 270 Fairford Street West and can be reached at 306-692-2911. For more information, visit MJFoodBank.org or ‘Moose Jaw and District Food Bank’ on Facebook.
