Food Bank

Sheila Malcolmson, B.C. minister of social development and poverty reduction, and Peter Sinclair, Loaves and Fishes Community Food Bank executive director, at a conference where the province announced a $7 million contribution to the food bank’s warehouse construction project. (Karl Yu/News Bulletin)

B.C. government chips in $7 million for construction of food bank warehouse in Nanaimo

Loaves and Fishes still seeking $5 million for project on East Wellington Road

 

The 2023 VIATEC Foundation Food Bank Challenge runs until June 2. (Courtesy of VIATEC Foundation)

Victoria tech community rallies for food bank hit by fire

Mustard Seed Street Church lost more than 40 pallets of food and other goods due to smoke damage

 

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

 

Members of the West Shore RCMP, including mascot Safety Bear, stand in front of the 35-foot canoe they filled with donated food Saturday (Dec. 10) during the detachment’s annual food drive. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)

PHOTOS: West Shore RCMP fills canoe during annual food drive

The detachment was aiming to beat 2021’s nearly $10K in donations for Goldstream Food Bank

Members of the West Shore RCMP, including mascot Safety Bear, stand in front of the 35-foot canoe they filled with donated food Saturday (Dec. 10) during the detachment’s annual food drive. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)
The Royal Bay Secondary School community came out in full force Wednesday (Nov. 30) for the school’s 10,000 Tonight food drive in support of the Goldstream Food Bank. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)

PHOTOS: Royal Bay Secondary School shoots for 10,000 food items

The school’s annual 10,000 Tonight food drive returned to its full program Wednesday

The Royal Bay Secondary School community came out in full force Wednesday (Nov. 30) for the school’s 10,000 Tonight food drive in support of the Goldstream Food Bank. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)
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
Sooke Firefighters’ annual Santa Run is set for DEC. 10, with four trucks moving neighbourhood to neighbourhood to collect donations for the Sooke Food Bank. (File - Sooke News Mirror)

Sooke firefighters rescue Christmas for many

Annual Santa Run set for Dec. 10 throughout town

Sooke Firefighters’ annual Santa Run is set for DEC. 10, with four trucks moving neighbourhood to neighbourhood to collect donations for the Sooke Food Bank. (File - Sooke News Mirror)
Belmont Secondary School Grade 12 student Sophia Benables and Grade 9 student Jess Keep show off some of the food donations collected by them and their classmates ahead of Thursday’s (Nov. 10) community food drive in support of the Goldstream Food Bank. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)

PHOTOS: Belmont students collect food donations for Goldstream Food Bank

The Fall Food Drive is usually part of the 10,000 Tonight initiative, but was split off this year

Belmont Secondary School Grade 12 student Sophia Benables and Grade 9 student Jess Keep show off some of the food donations collected by them and their classmates ahead of Thursday’s (Nov. 10) community food drive in support of the Goldstream Food Bank. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)
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)
Rainbow Kitchen executive director Patrick Johnstone stands by bare shelves at the meal providing kitchen in Esquimalt on Nov. 3. (Jake Romphf/ News Staff)

$25K donation helps stock the shelves at Esquimalt’s Rainbow Kitchen

Soaring food prices take a bite out of charity’s efforts to provide 180,000 meals a year

Rainbow Kitchen executive director Patrick Johnstone stands by bare shelves at the meal providing kitchen in Esquimalt on Nov. 3. (Jake Romphf/ News Staff)
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
The Sooke and Goldstream food banks feel the pinch of increased demand and fewer donations. (File-MetroCreative)

As the economy sways, Greater Victoria’s food banks are feeling the pinch

Demand is up and donations are down, say officials

The Sooke and Goldstream food banks feel the pinch of increased demand and fewer donations. (File-MetroCreative)
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)
SERVING UP Breakfast Spencer Barkley of the North Saanich Fire Department works with colleagues Chuck Hanan and Kurt Barner to unload 300 boxes of cereal and other in-demand breakfast items purchased with a $5,000 donation by CFAX Santas Anonymous Society to the Saanich Peninsula Lions Food Bank. See story on page A8. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

$5,000 donation serves up breakfast for Saanich Peninsula Lions Food Bank

Santas Anonymous Society donation goes a long way, firefighters deliver the goods

SERVING UP Breakfast Spencer Barkley of the North Saanich Fire Department works with colleagues Chuck Hanan and Kurt Barner to unload 300 boxes of cereal and other in-demand breakfast items purchased with a $5,000 donation by CFAX Santas Anonymous Society to the Saanich Peninsula Lions Food Bank. See story on page A8. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
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)
Victoria Community Fridge volunteers Irvin Naidu, Nicola Watts, Becky Block, Jewel Bohach, and Wren Shaman stand in front of the fridge Saturday afternoon during a celebration marking one year of the fridge in the community. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)

Block party celebrates ‘first birthday’ of Victoria Community Fridge

The fridge offers barrier-free access to free food for those experiencing food insecurity

Victoria Community Fridge volunteers Irvin Naidu, Nicola Watts, Becky Block, Jewel Bohach, and Wren Shaman stand in front of the fridge Saturday afternoon during a celebration marking one year of the fridge in the community. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)
Food bank demand is up in Greater Victoria, spurred largely by inflation and high gas prices. Pictured is the Goldstream Food Bank warehouse in November 2021. (Black Press Media file photo)

Rise in food bank demand fueled by inflation, high gas prices in Greater Victoria

Local food banks had 3 to 4 times the new patrons in March than the typical month

Food bank demand is up in Greater Victoria, spurred largely by inflation and high gas prices. Pictured is the Goldstream Food Bank warehouse in November 2021. (Black Press Media file photo)
Lakewood elementary students Keely Paty and Sophia Lynch stack a box onto a cart. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)

PHOTOS: Caring students in Langford organize food drive for spring break

Lakewood Elementary gathers up thousands of items to donate to Goldstream Food Bank

Lakewood elementary students Keely Paty and Sophia Lynch stack a box onto a cart. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)