 US resident?
You may be looking for the Richmond, Virginia Foodbank.
We have over 120 regular volunteers, and many
more over Christmas and for special events. Our regular service
volunteers and board members volunteer about 18,000 hours in a
year with Christmas volunteers adding about 500 extra hours. This
allows us to distribute about 1,000,000 pounds of food in a year. Pictures: 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
 Very enthusiastic volunteers and staff walked in the 2008 Salmon Festival Parade in front of record-setting crowds and excellent weather. (Pictures)
Spring 2008 Volunteer Party -- Sunday March 30th, our volunteers gathered in the activity room at Gilmore Park United Church to be honoured and celebrate their service to our community. Special guests included volunteers Jack and Ellen Pearson, founders of the Richmond Food Bank in 1983. Members of the Army, Navy & Airforce Veterans, Unit 284 were invited and recognized for their substantial annual support from the food bank's beginning. Mayor Malcolm and Christine Brodie joined in the celebrations and applauded our 125 volunteers. The Richmond Youth Concert Band Jazz Ensemble, directed by David Fromager, entertained with a lively set of jazz favourites, and volunteers from Cambie Secondary School and the Richmond Women's Resource Centre helped chef Karen Dar Woon prepare a delicious meal for our outstanding corps of volunteers.
Richmond Food Bank Society Directors
- Ed Zyblut, President -- retired and Richmond resident
- Gary Lake, Treasurer & VP -- Richmond resident and accountant
- Edward Montague, Secretary -- Richmond resident and lawyer
- Dr. John Livesley -- Richmond resident and professor emeritus
- Gail Montague -- Richmond resident
- Richard Rand -- Richmond resident and investment advisor
- Sheila Johnston -- Richmond resident; clerk and writer
- Corinne Schindler -- Richmond resident and mortgage specialist
Richmond Foodbank Annual Report for 2007 - 2008
 Friday, April 11 2008 -- Our long-time friend, and Richmond Food Bank pioneer, Sheila Lord died this week.
Sheila had a long life, devoted to service to her family, her church, and the greater community.
Sheila requested no memorial service. But, we will remember her fondly for her gracious manner, gorgeous smile, and gentle humour.
Those We Remember
 Please click on picture for the gallery of photos that help us remember friends who can no longer volunteer with us because of poor health, or because they have moved away or moved onwards.
Featured Volunteer - Ron Watson
 By David Sarginson
In 1993, Ron Watson began volunteering at the Richmond Food Bank. In the years since, he’s had many jobs and has seen many changes. Some of the big changes include the increased need for food, and how much the volunteer staff has grown. When Ron started there were about 50 volunteers, today there are 125. The food bank has twice moved to a larger location, and volunteers have come and gone. In 2003, Ron was recognized with a Volunteer Recognition certificate for 10 years of excellent service.
In the beginning, Ron and a DDA (Developmental Disabilities Association) staff person would fill all the bags needed for next day distribution with fresh vegetables. Today, the same job requires 8-10 volunteers! Margaret Hewlett, Coordinator of the Richmond Food Bank says, "Ron is a model of diligence." Ron made such an impression on Margaret that he attends barbeques at Margaret’s house to this day.
Ron can often be seen joking with the other volunteers at coffee break time and if he thinks the break goes on too long, he will call everyone back to work! At times, Ron can be seen breaking into song and dance, entertaining his co-workers and making the job fun for everyone around him.
The Richmond Food Bank has been a big part of Ron’s life, and he’s made many friends there. Every once in a while someone will come up to Ron and say, "I remember you, you work at the Food Bank!" Another staff once told me that one of the best things about her time working at Sunnymede was meeting and working with Ron. I know everyone who knows Ron would agree.
The Star/Summer 2008 (reprinted with permission)
Featured Volunteers - Ed and Bruce
 Ed Hiensch and Bruce Ingall have been picking up donations and making deliveries to Food Bank clients together for seven years. They call their superstar partnership the “A Team” and comment that “it always has worked very well because we laugh at the same dumb things”.
Both men are retired and have numerous stories to share. Bruce flew aircraft for many years and said that it “beat working for a living”. He was pilot in the Korean War and served with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Bruce has rubbed shoulders with Canadian cabinet ministers, the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, Prince Phillip and the late Queen Mother piloting VIP flights from Ottawa. His stints also include flying around the world twice with volunteers from Canadian University Students Overseas (CUSO), a non-profit organization that is involved in international development work. The retired pilot “loves to volunteer” and keeps busy by taking courses.
Ed is originally from Holland and is still fluent in Dutch. He moved to Terrace with his mother and brother when he was a lad. With little knowledge of English, Ed started high school at a time without ESL classes. He jokes that “scary’s not the word” to describe his experience but said that the school environment was actually quite friendly. Ed is a long-time Richmond resident and worked in mechanical and transmission sales. He has been happily married for 40 years to Pam, who also regularly volunteers at the Food Bank reading stories to young children. They raised three “fine, independent, young women” together. Ed is thoroughly enjoying his retirement and said that he ‘should have done it 100 years ago!”. He advises fresh retirees to find something to do and uses his own life as an example. Volunteering with the Food Bank and Meals on Wheels occupies several days while golfing and training for the Sun Run keeps Ed mostly out of trouble. Admittedly, Ed still cannot keep entirely in the good, as he says that “only the good die young so I’m going to be around for a long, long, LONG time!”.
The Richmond Food Bank is looking for new drivers. If you have a good driving record and have a penchant for volunteering, please contact us.
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