Brentwood Cares marks six years of barrier-free food access

Brentwood Cares marked its six-year anniversary after creating the Little Food Library in April 2020, and a Pay What You Can concert supported the pantry and a veterans' food bank.

Brentwood Cares recently marked its six-year anniversary with a community event in northwest Calgary. The anniversary event included a Pay What You Can Bank Booster Concert hosted by Calgary House Concerts and featuring Jay Coda Walker; proceeds supported the Little Food Library and the Veterans Association Food Bank at the Brentwood Sportsplex. The Little Food Library began in April 2020 when neighbours and social workers repurposed an unused book library into a micro food pantry. Organizers say the pantry was created to provide barrier-free access to food during the COVID-19 pandemic and has continued as local need increased. Key facts: - Brentwood Cares marked six years of community support. - A Pay What You Can Bank Booster Concert raised support for the Little Food Library and the Veterans Association Food Bank at the Brentwood Sportsplex. - The Little Food Library was launched in April 2020 after an unused book library was given to the group and converted into a micro food pantry. - In 2025 the pantry was enlarged when United Filipino Workers and groups such as Migrante Alberta adapted a filing cabinet into a larger sheltered box to hold bread, meat in winter and seasonal produce. - Brentwood Cares members cited CPI data showing food costs up about 38.8% and shelter costs up about 34% since 2018, and noted the Calgary Food Bank reported roughly 1,000 emergency hampers per day last year. Summary: The anniversary underscores ongoing, volunteer-led efforts to provide barrier-free food in the neighbourhood and highlights rising local demand and strain on food services. Undetermined at this time.