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The sounds of silence meant full bellies for weeks at Calgary’s largest homeless shelter.

When torrential rains washed out the Oxford Stomp scheduled to take over Fort Calgary in July, the Rotary Club of Calgary, which organized the concert, donated the dinner that would have been served to 9,000 concertgoers to the Calgary Drop-In Centre.

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The unexpected delivery of 140 beef roasts, two pallets each of coleslaw, baked beans and canned fruit, and 150 dozen buns couldn’t have come at a better time, said shelter spokesman Jordan Hamilton.

“Between January 2015 and January 2016, our food costs have risen by 50 per cent due to inflation and client demand,” said Hamilton.

“Unexpected problems come up, but I’m glad they were able to do something great.”

The food, consumed in sandwiches and beef and potato dinners, helped feed the shelter’s clients for two weeks, he said.

“It’s been some time before we’d eaten that good,” said Hamilton. “Many don’t think homeless people deserve nice things, but they do.”