Campaign grows to donate rebate gift cards to food banks

The social mediacampaign urging Calgarians to give the Calgary Food Bank theirfree grocery store gift cards available to customers after a bread price-fixing scandal just got a little more streamlined, thanks to Save-On-Foods.

The food chain, which has stores across Alberta, Saskatchewan and B.C., announced it's offering $25 gift cardsto people who were members of its More Rewards loyalty program prior to Dec.31, 2017.

The announcement comes despite Save-On-Foods not being part of the price-fixing probe that caused Loblaws to announce its gift card program in the first place.

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The companies being investigated by the Competition Bureau are Weston Bakeries, Canada Bread, Loblaws, Sobeys, Metro, Walmart and Giant Tiger.

Save-On-Foods gift card recipients can donate them directly to their local food bank through the company's website.

With the announcement that Save-On-Foods has joined Loblaws in offering gift cards,Calgary Food Bank spokespersonShawna Ogstonsaid thatcould only be a positive development for her organization.

"If they're going tocompete with each other to the benefit of food banks across the country, this is amazing," Ogston saidon theCalgary Eyeopener Thursday.

'Hunger doesn't stop after Christmas'

She added that the food bank continues to need public support in the form of donations, despite running a successful holiday season campaign that included a donation of more than $1.4 million from the CBCFood Bank Drive.

"Hungerdoesn'tstop after Christmas," she said. "And I know thatCalgarianswere so generous in November andDecember. The need is still out there. Bills are still high. The furnaces are still on. So hungeris still going to exist."

"This will go a long way to making sure we have guaranteed funds in the bank to purchase items for the hampers."

As far as the process goes,Ogstonsaid there are a variety of ways to donate.

"It's going to depend on each individual, how they want to donate,"Ogstonsaid.

"Perhaps you want to purchase an item and donate it at the store while you're using your gift card," she said. "Or donate it to us and we'll use them to purchases the items we need to fill our hampers."

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With files from theCalgary Eyeopenerand Karin Larsen, CBC