Message from the team
As the end of 2021 draws to a close we reflect on another unbelievable year supporting those in need, including communities affected by BC’s extreme weather conditions of forest fires, an unprecedented heatwave and catastrophic flooding. All the staff at the Greater Vancouver Food Bank (GVFB) are extremely grateful and humbled by each and every one of our dedicated and caring volunteers whose strong work ethics and kindness are clear to see during each shift.
The services we provide to our clients and community agency partners are made possible because of our volunteers. An incredible amount of work is accomplished every day because of our volunteers and we are thrilled to see so many new faces this year, who in turn have become regular volunteers.
We wish you a safe, restful and happy festive season! We appreciate all of you and thank you for generously giving your time with a smile on your face and a sense of pride for the impact your work has on the communities we support. The staff at the GVFB look forward to a new year working with you again. Please continue to spread the word amongst friends, family and colleagues who may also be interested in volunteering with us.
John and Arnold find meaning and friendship while volunteering
Our two warehouse volunteers, Arnold and John, started volunteering with us at the start of the pandemic and have since become great friends.
As they are both retired, Arnold and John decided to keep busy by giving back to the community at the GVFB. Arnold, a former teacher and principal, immediately connected to his volunteer duty of assembling the children’s nutrition packs.
“I like to think that the children I taught over the years are similar to the ones I’m helping at the Food Bank,” Arnold explains.
John also volunteers in the warehouse and finds his work incredibly impactful to those in great need. “I enjoy volunteering here, and it feels great knowing that I’m helping people during these difficult times,” says John.
Another perk to their volunteer experience has been meeting each other! With similar roles and motivations to volunteer, they have shared many laughs while working together in our warehouse!
Seniors’ Packs Program
A few months ago the GVFB in collaboration with dietitians developed a new specialized nutritional seniors’ packs program, which caters to the needs of our senior clients age 65+. 17% of our clients are seniors and 67% of them are single. We are thrilled with the success of this program and seeing our senior clients enjoy these additional items, which focus on fresh ingredients containing a good source of protein, iron and calcium.
The seniors’ packs are distributed on week 3 of our food distribution. Each month over 1,700 seniors’ packs needs to be packaged in addition to our regular food sorting and distribution responsibilities. Because of this additional work, we created a new activity for our volunteers – Seniors’ Pack’s Builders. Shifts for these particular food packing roles are listed on Better Impact.
It’s wonderful to see some of our senior volunteers also sign up for these roles and hear them speak about how important it is to eat a healthy mix of age-appropriate food.
PNE WinterLights – Volunteers required!
Come and join us at PNE WinterLights Festival this season. As a volunteer, you will be able to admire the beautiful light displays and enjoy the magical Christmas atmosphere.
During these volunteer shifts, you will be representing the Greater Vancouver Food Bank and our cause through collecting donations from visitors, as well as promoting our emoji campaign for text donations.
It’s our second year participating in this event. Last year was full of festive fun and laughs. This event was a great success and we are excited for the opportunity to be a part of it again.
If you are interested in any of our roles, please check your MyImpact page on Better Impact for shift availability.
Your Volunteer Impact from July to November 2021
- 2,467 new clients registered with the Greater Vancouver Food Bank
- 24,331 volunteer hours were donated to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank
- 1,353,270 lbs of food were distributed to our Community Agency Partners
- 3,493,600 lbs of food were donated to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank
- You helped us distribute 18.5 lbs of food per individual per week
- We supported 9,349 lives monthly on average through direct distribution
