Media Release | The results are in: The Mayors’ Food Bank Challenge was a huge success!

Burnaby, BC – Five Mayors in the Greater Vancouver area participated in a month-long Mayors’ Food Bank Challenge to raise the most money per capita for their city or district, in support of the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. The event raised a whopping $511,679! The winner of the Challenge is the City of North Vancouver, led by Mayor Linda Buchanan!  

Participating Cities (in the descending order of money raised per capita):

The Greater Vancouver Food Bank is grateful to have the support of the five Mayors to make the Mayors’ Food Bank Challenge a success. To put $511,679 in perspective, that’s 10 lb of potatoes for 319,799 clients or 1L of milk for 300,988 clients. The impact of this campaign is incredible; these generous donations will help fund our monthly specialized nutrition programs, support food transportation, bring on more Community Agency Partners, and simply ensure the continuous flow of healthy food to those in need. 

The first annual Mayors’ Food Bank challenge has strengthened the partnerships between the Greater Vancouver Food Bank and the Mayors of the municipalities we support. We are looking forward to collaborating with each city around nutrient recovery, sustainable food systems, and food security.  

From the Mayors…

“Thanks to the contributions of so many generous donors, we were able to surpass our goal of raising $110,000 for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank in Burnaby. These funds will provide much needed relief to those in need — here in Burnaby, and throughout the region. I’m so proud of our community for stepping up the plate during a challenging time for everyone.” – Mayor Mike Hurley, City of Burnaby 

“I’m blown away by the generosity of our community – you took our goal and more than doubled it. Thank you to our local businesses, residents, and City staff who have donated to this worthy cause. Thank you for reaching further than expected to help your neighbours in need.” – Mayor Jonathan Cote, City of New Westminster 

“When I hear people talk about hungry children and seniors in our community, I’m heartbroken. Unfortunately, this pandemic has resulted in 3 times more people in the city experiencing food insecurity. That’s why I’ve been so proud of the way our community has come together to raise funds for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. Healthy communities start with supporting the basic needs of everyone. I extend my deepest thanks to everyone who participated.” – Mayor Linda Buchanan, City of North Vancouver 

“No one should go hungry in our community. I want to thank everyone who stepped up to support their neighbours, especially now when the need is high. The Greater Vancouver Food Bank will be able to feed more people because of your generous donations.” – Mayor Mike Little, District of North Vancouver 

“As we begin to reopen from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mayor’s Challenge was a friendly way to remind ourselves how important it is to support the thousands of families across the region who continue to struggle with food insecurity. I want to thank every Vancouver resident, business, and organization that stepped up and together raise nearly $180,000 for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. I’m proud to be Mayor of such a generous city.” – Mayor Kennedy Stewart, City of Vancouver 

About the Mayors’ Food Bank Challenge  

From May 1st to 31st, the Mayors of the cities of Burnaby, Vancouver, North Vancouver and New Westminster, and the Mayor of the District of North Vancouver challenged their communities to help the Greater Vancouver Food Bank feed individuals and families in need. It was a friendly competition between municipalities to raise the most money per capita, with an overall campaign goal of $500,000. Monetary donations were made online to the respective cities’ fundraising pages.   

https://mayorschallenge.foodbank.bc.ca

Media Contact:   

Jodie Ou      

jodieo@foodbank.bc.ca       

778-387-2666