25 years of serving Richmond in 2008

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Thanks to the continuing support of our donors through these hard times, we are open and able to serve people in need.

NEW:

• Haiti earthquake relief: CanadaHelps is receiving donations to your favourite charity collecting funds for earthquake relief. The Government of Canada may match your donation.
• We are open during the Olympics. Be aware that parking will be difficult and traffic horrendous. Please use the Peace Church location if possible.
• Hunger Count 2009 - A comprehensive report on hunger and food bank use in Canada, and recommendations for change
• Client brochure for social agencies to print as needed
• We're open Saturdays: The Foodbank is open 10am - 2 pm Saturday (except holiday long weekends) to receive your donations.
• Please send us your used plastic grocery bags. We need 500+ each week for use as vegetable bags and they're becoming harder to find.

Our Mission: To be a caring organization that provides food assistance, advocacy and related support for community members in need.

Our Vision: A caring community where no one goes hungry.

 

The Richmond Food Bank Society strives to maintain individual and community health by providing the food security and nourishment needed to sustain health and well-being.

Volunteers distribute healthy food and groceries for free in a safe and confidential place to anyone who lives in Richmond and needs a little help.

"Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life." This is the definition that Canada and 128 other countries agreed upon at the 1996 World Food Summit in Rome. All signatories agreed to halve hunger by 2015.

The Richmond Food Bank belongs to and is accredited by Food Banks Canada and subscribes to its Code of Ethics.

This site is a place for you to:

• learn more about us
• get information about our distribution program
• increase awareness of the growing needs of the hungry people in our community
• learn how you can volunteer and donate to help end hunger in our community

We hope that you will become a regular visitor to our site.

Who we help:

The Richmond Food Bank serves Richmond residents who need help, including people working for low wages or who have been laid off work, people with chronic illness and disabilities and living on a fixed income, people in crises, and people without an income or without a home. We are very grateful to the many individuals and groups who worked hard and gave generously so that we can continue helping these struggling individuals and families.

Richmond Food Bank Facts:

• we serve over 450 households weekly -- over 1200 people; 35% of them children
• 15% are long-term users with multiple barriers to employment
• 55% are temporary users -- people who can work, do; this number reflects unemployment rates
• 30% are potentially self-sufficient and their ongoing concerns are health, employment and affordable housing
• cost of housing and disabilities are the primary reasons for needing food banks
• we distribute over 15,000 pounds of food each week
• we also distribute good quality surplus food that would otherwise be discarded
• in 2009 we distributed 22,362 grocery parcels as well as bulk food to other agencies that serve meals and snacks to low-income people
• We are able to distribute approximately $6 worth of groceries for every dollar we spend
• we have over 120 regular volunteers who provide year-round service
• we are a society and registered charity, governed by a Board of Directors.