Food Bank

A volunteer at the Surrey Food Bank in 2022 sets up food for clients. A new poverty report card from Food Banks Canada shows B.C.’s unaffordable housing market is just one of the reasons why the province is barely passing. (Lauren Collins)

B.C. gets a D+ in Food Banks Canada’s poverty report card

Inaugural release shows B.C.’s housing market is ‘big factor’ in rising food insecurity rates

 

Workers gather food for a homeless mission while at the Edmonton Food Bank, in Edmonton on Friday July 21, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson.

Gleaning, produce rescue at food banks helps feed communities, reduce waste

‘What prevailed was the practicality that food should not go to waste’

 

North Island MLA Michele Babchuk ties the apron up on Social Development and Poverty Reduction Minister Sheila Malcolmson as B.C. Premier David Eby adjusts his during the announcement of $7.5 million to the United Way by the province for Food Hubs. Photo by Edward Hitchins/Campbell River Mirror

Provincial government announces $7.5 million investment in food hub funding

Goal is to double the number of B.C.’s food hubs to 40 from the current 20

 

Jody Williams, executive director of Bridges to Hope, a food bank in St. John’s, poses for a picture at the facility on Monday, June 19, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Daly

‘We’re addressing the symptom, not the cause’: food banks across Canada

The word “crisis” comes up quickly when speaking with those who run…

Jody Williams, executive director of Bridges to Hope, a food bank in St. John’s, poses for a picture at the facility on Monday, June 19, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Daly
Santa Claus Parade chair Shane Nickel-Thibodeau handed Cranbrook Foodbank Society volunteer coordinator Rachel Wolff a cheque for $3,957.03 on March 22. The money will go towards obtaining food essentials to feed locals in need (photo by Gillian Francis)

Supply chain shortage impacts Calgary and Cranbrook food banks

Calgary Food Bank has stopped supplying Cranbrook Foodbank Society with goods

Santa Claus Parade chair Shane Nickel-Thibodeau handed Cranbrook Foodbank Society volunteer coordinator Rachel Wolff a cheque for $3,957.03 on March 22. The money will go towards obtaining food essentials to feed locals in need (photo by Gillian Francis)
Students from Raft River School deliver pancake mix and syrup to the Clearwater Food Bank. (Photo submitted)
Students from Raft River School deliver pancake mix and syrup to the Clearwater Food Bank. (Photo submitted)
Boxes wait to be filled with provisions at The Daily Bread Food Bank warehouse in Toronto on Wednesday March 18, 2020. Canadian food insecurity researchers say holiday appeals for people to donate to their local food banks can be tough swallow. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Why anti-poverty researchers bristle at holiday appeals for food bank donations

Addressing hunger requires systemic changes, researchers say

Boxes wait to be filled with provisions at The Daily Bread Food Bank warehouse in Toronto on Wednesday March 18, 2020. Canadian food insecurity researchers say holiday appeals for people to donate to their local food banks can be tough swallow. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Trans Mountain pipeline project worker and artist Marc André Brzutowski meets with Margot Venema, president of the Clearwater Food Bank. (Supplied photo)

Camp cooking inspires pipeline worker, artist to raise money for Clearwater Food Bank

Some of the paintings will be at the Community Christmas Concert and bake sale on Dec. 3, 2022

Trans Mountain pipeline project worker and artist Marc André Brzutowski meets with Margot Venema, president of the Clearwater Food Bank. (Supplied photo)
Laura Olivier of Clearwater Tim Horton’s presents a cheque for $1,726.17 to Clearwater and District Food Bank vice chair Harry James (centre) and chair Margot Venema (right) recently. The funds were raised during the annual Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Fundraiser. (Rosslen Kyla Senica photo)

Clearwater Food Bank predicts a challenging 2023

High inflation, rising food costs will see food bank change and substitute products

Laura Olivier of Clearwater Tim Horton’s presents a cheque for $1,726.17 to Clearwater and District Food Bank vice chair Harry James (centre) and chair Margot Venema (right) recently. The funds were raised during the annual Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Fundraiser. (Rosslen Kyla Senica photo)
From left to right, Salvation Army Captain Matt Kean, Chilliwack Food Bank co-ordinator Don Armstrong, Chilliwack farmer Larissa Garcia, and Captain Fiona Kean. (BC Egg photo)

600,000 eggs donated by farmers to food banks across B.C. by end of 2022

‘We don’t want any parents to be in a position where they can’t feed their kids’ - Chilliwack egg farmer

From left to right, Salvation Army Captain Matt Kean, Chilliwack Food Bank co-ordinator Don Armstrong, Chilliwack farmer Larissa Garcia, and Captain Fiona Kean. (BC Egg photo)
Boxes wait to be filled with provisions at The Daily Bread Food Bank warehouse in Toronto on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Food bank usage across Canada hit all-time high, nearly 1.5M visits in March: report

Numbers 35 per cent higher than visits in March 2019, before the pandemic hit

Boxes wait to be filled with provisions at The Daily Bread Food Bank warehouse in Toronto on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
A Thanksgiving turkey dinner is shown in Toronto on Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

VIDEO: Thanksgiving dinner will come with a hefty price tag this year

Homemade turkey dinner now more than $200 for a family of four

A Thanksgiving turkey dinner is shown in Toronto on Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Kashish Hukku Jani is seen in Vancouver, on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022. Jani, 22, a fourth-year communication design student at Emily Carr University, said skyrocketing living costs make it hard to focus on her studies. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Inflation hits international students hard, with some turning to food banks

One Vancouver food bank said three-quarters of the students it aids were from overseas

Kashish Hukku Jani is seen in Vancouver, on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022. Jani, 22, a fourth-year communication design student at Emily Carr University, said skyrocketing living costs make it hard to focus on her studies. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
A national school food program is needed, B.C. advocates are urging. (Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion file)

Urgent need for a national school food program in classrooms: B.C. group

The Coalition for Healthy School Food wants the federal government to create a national program.

A national school food program is needed, B.C. advocates are urging. (Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion file)
Chilliwack was one of a number of communities plunged underwater by the November 2021 floods. B.C. is investing $2.85 million in food security funding to help build better emergency response systems and resiliency. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

B.C. announces $2.85-million food security fund ahead of wildfire, flood season

Fund includes pilot test for app that allows communities to request food as needed

Chilliwack was one of a number of communities plunged underwater by the November 2021 floods. B.C. is investing $2.85 million in food security funding to help build better emergency response systems and resiliency. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)
A new West Coast Seeds pollinator mix of cosmos pays tribute to Dr. Bonnie Henry. (Submitted photo/ We Are The Northern)

New blend by West Coast Seeds to bloom in Dr. Bonnie Henry’s name

Cosmo blend designed to attract bees, and marketed with tagline ‘Bee Calm, Bee Kind, Bee Safe’

A new West Coast Seeds pollinator mix of cosmos pays tribute to Dr. Bonnie Henry. (Submitted photo/ We Are The Northern)
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responds to a question during Question Period in the House of Commons Thursday October 8, 2020 in Ottawa. Trudeau will announce today more federal funding for food banks across Canada to help them meet the surge in demand for their services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Trudeau to announce more federal funding for food banks during pandemic

Back in April, the federal government gave $100 million to national, regional and local organizations

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responds to a question during Question Period in the House of Commons Thursday October 8, 2020 in Ottawa. Trudeau will announce today more federal funding for food banks across Canada to help them meet the surge in demand for their services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
(The Canadian Press)

Details on federal food buy-back program coming soon, Bibeau says

The funds won’t address the entirety of the problem facing farmers

(The Canadian Press)
Chair of the Clearwater and District Food Bank, Harry James, receives a donation from Dynamic Reforestation president, Miles Sanoy. Dynamic Reforestation has tree planting camps in the area and plans to put a total of 19 million trees in the ground this year. Photo by Jaime Polmateer

Clearwater food bank receives donation from tree planting group

Dynamic Reforestation out of Williams Lake donated $1,400 in light of International Hunger Day

Chair of the Clearwater and District Food Bank, Harry James, receives a donation from Dynamic Reforestation president, Miles Sanoy. Dynamic Reforestation has tree planting camps in the area and plans to put a total of 19 million trees in the ground this year. Photo by Jaime Polmateer
(L-r) Clearwater and District Food Bank workes Pearl McAloney, secretary, Linda Selbee, treasurer, John McFarland, volunteer, Susan McFarland, acting operations manager and Harry James, chair, stand in front of a stocked shelf on Jan. 21 2019. James said volunteers and community donations have helped the organization meet the needs of its clients in this time of turmoil. File photo

Food bank doing well thanks to volunteers and donations

Chair applauds staff for stepping up in time of turmoil

(L-r) Clearwater and District Food Bank workes Pearl McAloney, secretary, Linda Selbee, treasurer, John McFarland, volunteer, Susan McFarland, acting operations manager and Harry James, chair, stand in front of a stocked shelf on Jan. 21 2019. James said volunteers and community donations have helped the organization meet the needs of its clients in this time of turmoil. File photo