Message from the GVFB
The support from our industry partners who donated pre-consumer food filled our warehouse and our hearts; our clients cannot stop smiling when they see what we are providing each week! We receive regular donations like seasonal fruits and vegetables, high-quality cheeses, frozen proteins, bread, bagels and more from our industry donor champions.
In July we sent a request out to our donors a few days ahead of the forecasted heatwave, and within 24 hours over 200 pallets of water were made available to us! This incredible donation kept our clients and their families hydrated, and provided our community agency partners with water to hand out to their clients; everyone was extremely grateful. Because of your generosity, we were able to provide the City of Vancouver with the water they needed for low-income residents, as well as supply other food banks in need during this unprecedented heatwave. Thank you!
You are Supporting a Total of 112 Community Agency Partners
In July, we brought on 22 new Community Agency Partners (CAPs). This means we now support 112 organizations across Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster and the North Shore! These organizations include after-school programs, women shelters, homeless shelters and more.
The bulk food we receive from our industry partners is a perfect fit for our CAPs because they can prepare large batches of meals at once, based on the needs of their clients and the communities they serve. Some of the most popular items among our CAPs are pasta, cereal and milk.
“The variety of food has been received well by the women in the building who express these sentiments regularly. The fresh fruit and protein bars also tide the women over between meals, making for an exciting balance in their diet.”
– The Sisele, a housing agency that supports women aged 45 and older.
We Opened a New Vancouver Warehouse to Put More Food in the Community
In July, we opened our brand-new Vancouver CAP Market! This bright, 3,000 sq ft warehouse is located at 1405 Thornton St. Vancouver, a short 10-minute walk from the Main Street-Science World Skytrain station. 91 of our CAPs are based in Vancouver (81%), so this new location significantly increases their accessibility to our services, saving them time and resources with the ability to pick up food in Vancouver versus our main warehouse in Burnaby.
With an unprecedented volume of food reaching our communities through a record number of CAPs, our support is reaching more people in need from all walks of life. With our donors’ generosity and a strong, efficient infrastructure, we are confidently looking to the future to see how we can do even more.
VersaCold is Helping Us Keep Our Food Safe
The way that VersaCold supports us is very unique – they donate the cold storage we need to store our food and keep it safe! VersaCold’s support means we can say “yes” when a call comes in about a large food donation, one that no other food bank in BC could accommodate. We love being in this position, because we are able to receive so much food that we can often share it with other food banks, ensuring none of it goes to waste.
To VersaCold, it is very important to be good neighbours. They are passionate about food and take pride in helping to ensure the safety and quality of the food families eat.
Currently, we are storing more than 100 pallets of food at VersaCold’s Surrey warehouse. This means that we have a sustainable amount of food on hand to support our clients in the coming months.
VersaCold’s responsiveness to each of our requests has been remarkable! We can always rely on them when we receive large frozen donations, which ensures this valuable food will end up in the hands of those who need it, and not a landfill. Thank you, VersaCold!
How Your Donations Helped Us From January to June 2021
