Planting Workshops

Seasonal workshops on container food growing and vermiculture show how to grow organic fresh vegetables and fruits in backyards and on balconies. These free, drop-in workshops are conducted by renowned agronomist Arzeena Hamir during grocery distributions at Daniels and Cedarbridge depots. The RFB also maintains a small garden in the front of the Cedarbridge building as a demonstration garden and as a source of herbs for our weekly Nutritious Recipes demonstrations.

Watch for postings for the next series of planting workshops.

 

Friends of Children Dairy Program

We are very excited to be able to make fresh dairy foods part of our regular distribution to children. Thanks to a start-up grant from the Pacific Friends of Children Society, we have launched a four-month pilot project that provides fresh dairy products to children and nursing mothers. Through a three-week cycle, families receive fresh milk, eggs or cheese. This benefits approximately 300 children every week. Additional funding is provided by the Gilmore Park Dream Auction and the Richmond Chinatown Lions Club.

This Friends of Children Dairy Program is enhanced by our Nutritious Recipes Demonstrations which gives samples of simple and economical recipes using fresh seasonally available foods - and now eggs, cheese, and milk.

 

Feed the Body, Feed the Mind at the Richmond Food Bank

Our "Feed the body, Feed the mind" nutrition and literacy program for children encourages healthy snacking along with an early introduction to books and family reading. We link nutrition with learning and development by giving children up to twelve years old healthy snack packs weekly and quality books three times a year, and by conducting Story Times for children with books chosen by Richmond Public Library. Our city dental hygienist conducts oral examinations and cleaning for pre-school children, Richmond Family Place staff conduct crafts sessions, settlement workers from SUCCESS help new immigrants integrate into their new society, and community nurses from Richmond Health Department offer flu inoculations – all during grocery distributions at the Richmond Food Bank.

The Nutritious Recipes component of our program demonstrates and gives healthy samples of simple, economical, and nutritious recipes based upon seasonal foods that are available at the food bank. These demonstrations are conducted during grocery distributions and target families and single people, including seniors cooking for one. Demonstrations incorporate foods that are in abundance at the food bank, including seasonal produce, especially locally grown organic produce from the Sharing Farm. Recipes promote seasonal eating, introduce new foods to immigrants, encourage seniors to continue cooking and eating nutritionally, and educate parents and children on the importance of healthy meals and snacks for health and development.

Periodic workshops on topics such as container growing and vermiculture enhance individuals' capacity to provide their own organic fresh vegetables and fruits. We also offer these workshops at other agencies that serve people living in poverty to attract people who need food assistance but resist using the food bank because of misunderstanding of our service and the enduring stigma of food banks as "hand-outs".

Thanks for current funding for the Healthy Snacks program go to the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation for their $7500 donation and to the Gilmore Park Dream Auction.

Thanks for funding also go to the United Way and their Success By 6 program. Success by 6 is dedicated to providing all children with a good start in life. It helps to ensure that children ages 0 to 6 develop the emotional, social, cognitive, and physical skills they need as they enter school.

 

 

 

Nutrition Demo

The Green Shield Canada Foundation has granted the Richmond Food Bank $15,000 to sustain our Nutrition Demos Project - initially funded by the Boeing Corporation as an enhancement to our Feed the body, Feed the mind program.

Our Nutrition Demos project develops and demonstrates simple and nutritious recipes using ingredients that are available at the Richmond Food Bank. The food bank works closely with the Richmond Fruit Tree Sharing Project to distribute produce grown at the Sharing Farm, whose staff inform the food bank of the week's produce so that recipes can be developed with those vegetables in mind. The food bank has also been working with Pathways Clubhouse, a program geared towards helping people with persistent mental illness. A member of Pathways is currently employed to conduct the actual food preparation and distribution on 2 of the 3 days. A client of the Food Bank prepares the samples for the third day.

We thank Lisa Wong (Richmond Chamber of Commerce director) and Karen Dar Woon (chef at Gilmore Park Community Meal) for recommending the Richmond Food Bank for this grant, and Arzeena Hamir for preparing the application.

We look forward to continuing this engaging and informing program indefinitely.

 

Dental Hygiene Program

Dental hygienist Lisa Enns offers dental screening and fluoride varnish at the Richmond Food Bank four times a year for children from infancy to 6 years old. Lisa is also able to give each family a dental package including tooth brushes, family-size tooth paste, and dental educational materials - thanks to the Dr. Bud Sipko Memorial Fund, the Richmond Community Foundation, and the Richmond Health Department.

 

Food Bank Tours

You are invited to tour the Richmond Food Bank. You're welcome to drop in Tuesdays between 10:00 and 2:00. For larger groups or other times, please call 604.271.5609 or e-mail info@richmondfoodbank.org.

Let us show you how you help your neighbours in need.

Story Time

Story Time is held for the children every Wednesday and Thursday during food distribution if volunteers are available. Please bring your children to what is becoming a very popular event.

 

 

Bookmark Contest

As an initiative to promote the link between good nutrition and early childhood development, Richmond's Community Health Nurses launched a "Feed the Body, Feed the Mind" bookmark contest. Elementary students were encouraged to create a bookmark depicting this concept.  Forty-nine schools participated and 2,400 entries were submitted.  The Richmond Public Library featured the winning bookmarks during Spring Break, and VCHA provided funding to reproduce the bookmarks for distribution to schools, libraries, and families throughout Richmond.  "This is an example of how we work collaboratively with community partners to encourage participation in health promotion activities," comments Cathy Houldson, Program Leader for Child, Youth and Families. Gift certificates for books were given to the winning entries for 2007.

Click the icon for the 2008 winners: