The Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society has only raised three per cent of its fundraising goal with just two-and-a-half weeks left it its Spring Challenge.
The Spring Food Bank Challenge, running May 1 to 31, unites the five municipalities served by the GVFB to address food insecurity in a friendly fundraising competition. All funds raised through the Spring Food Bank Challenge will help provide healthy food to the 15,000 monthly clients in New Westminster, Burnaby, Vancouver and North Vancouver.
"The need in our communities has never been greater,” Greater Vancouver Food Bank CEO David Long said in a news release. “People donate; they often do so during the giving season in December. They don't realize that the summer is such a difficult time for families and those with children."
The society is seeking the community’s support to help raise “critical funds” for the upcoming season, when the need for food support among families and school-aged children increases significantly.
“Spring and summer are the greatest times of need for the food bank, when the need for food support amongst families and school-aged children increases significantly,” said the news release. “With the closure of school food programs from June to September and the increased cost of daycare needs, these families see an increase in costs of up to $1,000 per child per month in the summer.”
According to the society, school-aged children aged six to 18 years make up nearly 20 per cent of all GVFB clients and are the ones who will be hit the hardest by food insecurity in the coming months. The society states that more and more community members are turning to food banks to help make ends meet as the cost of living rises.
Formerly known as the Mayor’s Food Bank Challenge, which depended on local mayors to lead the charge, the Spring Food Bank Challenge aims to rally the entire Greater Vancouver community, including mayors, city councillors, schools and community members.
Bragging rights and prizes
The Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society will declare the area that raises the most funds per capita (based on Census 2021 population data) to be the winner of the Spring Food Bank Challenge.
As of May 14, New West residents had donated $1,680, which included a $1,000 donation from the Elks Club of New Westminster. You can follow New West’s progress in the challenge and donate here.
To add a little extra fun to this year’s challenge, 50 residents in the winning city will receive a pair of tickets to Foodstock – a food bank fundraiser festival.
Taking place on Sunday, June 23 at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, Foodstock is a one-day festival featuring performances by Yukon Blonde and The Matinee, local breweries and wineries, local artisans, food trucks, and yard games. No donation is necessary to enter to win the tickets, which will be available through a contest link.
Donations to the society’s Spring Challenge can be made online.
Earlier this year, the GVFB stopped distributing food out of Olivet Baptist Church in New Westminster, in response to ongoing challenges presented by that location.
The society, however, continues to provide food to New West residents in a number of ways.
In addition to providing food to New Westminster resident from its distribution facility in Burnaby, the food bank also provides food each week to various agencies in New West, including the Don’t Go Hungry program, the Purpose Society and St. Barnabas Church.
