 The Richmond Food Bank is a dynamic hub that connects people, food, and services that are essential to health and wellbeing – the hallmark of a caring community.
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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.
Food Bank Facts:
- continual weekly service to Richmond since 1983
- serve over 515 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
- disabilities and cost of housing are the primary reasons for needing food banks
- we distribute more than $6 worth of groceries for every dollar we spend
- 24,323 grocery parcels in 2011 plus bulk food to other agencies that serve meals and snacks to low-income people
- over 20,000 pounds of food each week
- over 130 regular volunteers who provide year-round service
- we are a society and registered charity, governed by a Board of Directors
- we receive no funding from any level of government — all expenses are paid by donations
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.
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a caring community sharing with neighbours in need
