Donate

Why donate?

The cost of living has been skyrocketing lately, leaving more Canadians than ever scrambling to provide necessities for themselves and their families. It’s a brutal reality that shouldn’t be true in a first-world country: millions of us experience food insecurity. In our corner of Alberta, over 400 families a week now access the services of the Okotoks food bank alone.

If you raise cattle, there are all kinds of reasons why you sometimes find yourself with an otherwise healthy animal that isn’t a contender for breeding purposes or sale. It’s a regularity, but inconvenient - this was the impetus for the original donations that became the concept for the Collective. We will also happily accept donations of pork, lamb, bison or poultry, as long as the meat is processed in a federally or provincially-inspected facility.

Choosing to donate the meat is tax-deductible, and you know what else? Contributing positively to your community is also great for YOU. There is nothing like the feeling of helping others to boost your mood and self-esteem, make you feel more optimistic and connected. Sharing resources is incredibly rewarding!

How it works

Donate part, or all, of an animal from your herd to the food bank, after it has been processed in a federally or provincially-inspected facility. We will arrange pickup and delivery of your completed order, and assist with your tax receipt for the full retail value of your donation.

Donate meat or cash. All food donations go directly to the food bank, and every dime of monetary donations goes towards meat processing fees. If you are able and willing to also donate the cost of your processing fees, that’s wonderful. If not, that’s okay too. At present we are paying any costs out-of-pocket, and we are pursuing charitable status, eligible for grant money to cover nominal operational expenses and the fees. So our goal, ultimately, is to only ask our Collective members to donate meat, not money.

The result? HUGE gratitude and good vibes. You’ve put high-quality, locally-sourced protein on the tables of your less fortunate neighbours. You’re doing something amazing for your community! Yay, you! You’re a rock star!