ALBERTA FOOD RESCUE
& DISTRIBUTION
What Is the Drive-Thru Program at Alberta Food Rescue & Distribution?
An event that impacts hundreds of people at each distribution.
Developed in 2020
In 2020, Alberta Food Rescue & Distribution created its own unique Drive-Thru distribution model — a structured, vehicle-based format designed to efficiently serve large numbers of community members during a time of rising food insecurity and operational disruption. This approach has remained in continuous operation and continues to be widely supported due to its effectiveness, organization, and strong community participation.
Program Overview
Alberta Food Rescue & Distribution’s Drive-Thru Program is a structured community food distribution model designed to efficiently support individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. Each event moves hundreds of food kits through a controlled vehicle line while maintaining dignity, privacy, safety, and operational flow.
Why Each Food Kit Is $20
Each Drive-Thru family food kit is $20. This contribution is essential to sustaining the operational costs required to rescue, transport, store, and distribute large volumes of food.
Transportation is the nonprofit’s highest expense. It costs approximately $350 per pallet to transport food from recovery locations to storage or distribution sites. These expenses include fuel, commercial vehicles, insurance, and driver coordination.
Once food arrives, there are additional costs for unloading, manpower, and maintaining buildings where food is stored prior to distribution. Safe storage requires space, utilities, and oversight.
Food must then be transported again from storage facilities to the Drive-Thru event location. This process requires equipment such as bobcats, forklifts, pallet jacks, and, when necessary, refrigerated units. Equipment operation, rentals, and staffing further increase operational costs.
These critical behind-the-scenes logistics are what allow thousands of pounds of food to move safely from source to community. The $20 contribution helps offset a portion of these significant expenses.
What Is a Drive-Thru?
A drive-thru is a service model where individuals remain in their vehicles while receiving goods or services. In the AFRD format, participants remain in their vehicle, move through a designated line, and volunteers safely load food kits directly into the trunk or back seat. This model reduces congestion, protects privacy, and allows high-volume distribution in a controlled and organized environment.
How the Program Works
- Arrive & Line Up – Vehicles form a designated queue and are directed by volunteers.
- Remain in Vehicle – Participants stay inside their vehicle unless otherwise instructed.
- Food Kit Contribution – Each food kit is $20.
- Volunteers Load Your Kit – Pre-assembled food kits are safely placed into the vehicle.
Who This Program Supports
This community program supports individuals and families managing rising grocery costs, facing temporary financial strain, living on fixed incomes, supporting larger households, navigating unexpected life events, or self-identifying as needing support. No proof of income is required.
Through collaborative food rescue partnerships, surplus food is recovered and redistributed to prevent waste while strengthening local food security. Each Drive-Thru event serves hundreds of individuals and families — moving thousands of pounds of food back into the community. This is a structured, community-supported model designed for scale, efficiency, and impact.
Dignity and privacy are central to service delivery.
Community Impact
Through continual nutrition education, building meal planning skills, and offering culturally sensitive food options, we strive to reduce ongoing food insecurity, even when some food is available.