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Food Banks BC is grateful to the Provincial Government and donors for their support in helping Food Banks BC conduct important work to alleviate hunger, particularly among people and communities that are disproportionately impacted by poverty and hunger. < Back The Resilient North Project Since March 2022, Food Banks BC has partnered with the Public Health Association of BC on research and grants to support sustainable food systems and equitable food access in Northern BC. In 2024, Food Banks BC administered the Rapid Stimulus Grant for Food Systems Transformation (RSG), a one-time grant for non-profits in Northern BC to advance transformation in the food system. Thirty-six innovative projects across Northern BC received $794,546 in funding in June 2024. The projects through this grant will be inspiring and transformational for local and regional food systems resilience, equity, and capacity-building. Previous Next

Basics for Babies is JR Country’s partnership with the Lower Mainland Food Bank’s to assist them in providing for the tiniest in need.  Basics for Babies® Donate Now Basics for Babies® was created in 1994 when JR Country recognized a chronic shortage of baby products at Lower Mainland Food Banks. With the help of our partners , Basics for Babies® has raised over $2 million and hundreds of thousands of pounds of diapers, baby food, formula, pabulum, and other items! Helping Basics for Babies® has become a large part of JR Country listeners lives as we all make our communities stronger. Unfortunately, the need for baby necessities is greater than ever. With the current economic situation, more and more Food Bank recipients in the Lower Mainland are children. Basics for Babies® needs to continue to meet the challenge to supply Food Banks with necessary supplies to help this ever-growing population. We feel children should have the best possible start to life so that we can minimize other problems later. JR Country has partnered with Food Banks BC to ensure that all babies in the Lower Mainland get the nutrition they need. The most unique and, we think, impressive thing about Basics for Babies is not that the charity feeds and diapers babies in need (although there are no other programs like it in BC).  The most unique and impressive thing about Basics for Babies is that all administrative and operational costs are covered by JR Country and Pattison Media.  More than 99% of the donations, cash and product, go to the babies, because, after all, it’s for the babies! From the bottom of our hearts, Thank you for your donation.

If you have any further questions please contact Food Banks BC directly. FAQ WHO CAN USE A FOOD BANK? Most of our members register their clients so that they can keep records of who is using their services and ensure that food is distributed equitably.  Each member is a separate charitable organization that will have unique requirements based on their own community.   Find out more about the food bank in your community. AREN’T FOOD BANKS JUST A CRUTCH? Most food banks in our province are able to supply about 3 or 4 days’ worth of food every 2 weeks for their clients.  This amount of food makes all the difference in feeding their family when the rest of their meagre budget has been used up by things like transportation, clothing and extra school costs for their children. Without this boost, many people in our communities would be hungry. IS FOOD BANKS BC A FOOD BANK? No, we represent and support the 100 food banks across our province. Did you know that close to half of these members cannot afford any paid staff; they are run completely by volunteers?   Some do not even have a computer system to keep track of clients or donations.    When you support Food Banks BC it means that we can stand in the gap for these food banks, making sure that they can be effective in their own communities helping everyone who turns to them when there is nowhere else to go. DO FOOD BANKS NEED VOLUNTEERS? Yes, volunteering is an essential part of how food banks run. Check to see if there is a food bank that might need your help or if you are interested in helping Food Banks BC, please call 604-498-1798 or email (this links to info@foodbanksbc.com email) WHAT ARE FOOD BANKS BC SHARING COUPONS? Local food banks place our BC Share coupons at check-out stands. Then every shopper has the opportunity to scan one of these to add $2.00 to their purchase.   The grocery store then keeps this money for the local food bank and they are able to use this fund to purchase the necessities for their clients.  Last year we raised close to $1 million dollars through BC Share coupons and food banks were better able to provide healthy, fresh food to their clients. WHAT DO I DO IF MY QUESTION ISN’T LISTED HERE? Ask us! You can reach us at 604-498-1798 or via email.

The Full Cupboard, Island Savings community-based signature program,to raise food, funds and awareness about the critical issue of hunger in the communities. The Full Cupboard - Vancouver Island Donate Now Together, we can make our communities flourish. At Island Savings, we believe in the power of community and the impact of sustained efforts and partnerships. By supporting The Full Cupboard, you can help us build a stronger community and reduce hunger in the Vancouver Island, Pender Island and Salt Spring Island. Since its inception in 2016, The Full Cupboard has been a community-based signature cause program. Thanks to the unwavering support of our valued members, community partners, and passionate team members, we have raised $781,267 and collected 18,298 pounds of food for our 12 food bank partners as of 2025. Every donation you make directly benefits the community where it was given. Together, we can ensure that every individual and family in our communities has a full cupboard. Donate now or visit The Full Cupboard website to learn how you can contribute. Let's work together to create a flourishing community for all.

Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community and is an essential part of how our food banks run.  VOLUNTEER Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community and is an essential part of how food banks run. If you would like to volunteer at your local food bank, please go to our Find a Food Bank map to locate and connect with the food bank in your area.

Food Banks BC is grateful to the Provincial Government and donors for their support in helping Food Banks BC conduct important work to alleviate hunger, particularly among people and communities that are disproportionately impacted by poverty and hunger. < Back Emergency Food Support Food banks play a crucial role during times of emergency and natural disaster . This happens through the provision of food, water and other urgently needed supplies to evacuees, people impacted within the community, aid services and non-profits, and frontline emergency service personnel. For many years, Food Banks BC has played an active role in supporting communities impacted by major weather events. In 2024/25 we provided $1,212,792 to assist with the purchase of food and equipment that assisted with response and recovery efforts. This included the provision of 416,925 pounds to support communities still impacted by the fire that destroyed the village of Lytton in July 2021. Previous Next

Choose your way to make a difference. Your help is urgently needed! DONATE TO FOOD BANKS BC BC’s food banks need your support more than ever. Rising grocery prices, the housing crisis, and extreme weather events are pushing more people to rely on food banks just to get by. Demand is at an all-time high, and your donation makes a real difference. With your help, we can ensure food banks across BC have the resources they need to support their communities. Thank you for your generosity. Donate Now Your Help Is Urgently Needed Donate Securities Fundraise Now DONATE BY PHONE Call us at 604-498-1798 and we can process your donation over the phone DONATE BY EFT Please email us at info@foodbanksbc.com for banking details DONATE BY MAIL Mail your cheque to: Food Banks BC, Suite 302 – 12761 16th Avenue, Surrey, BC V4A 1N2 DONATE BY E-TRANSFER Please send to donations@foodbanksbc.com and ensure you email us your information for a tax receipt

Today, hundreds of food banks and hunger relief operations are providing services to hundreds of thousands of families and individuals on a regular basis. Food Banks BC Hunger Report 2024 Hunger is a public health emergency in Canada. In British Columbia, the rates of food insecurity have almost doubled since 2019. Food banks are a last resort for many households that are struggling to make ends meet. Canadian food banking is currently facing an unprecedented surge in demand, and BC food banks are struggling to keep up with this unsustainable situation. Read the Hunger Report Hunger in British Columbia Food banks across BC are seeing unprecedented demand. Prior to the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, food banks were experiencing a gradual downward trend in client numbers. Since 2019, the number of individuals accessing food banks has risen by 32%. Furthermore, the number of visits that households made has risen dramatically with an 81% increase from 2019 to 2024. The data on food bank usage in BC shows a clear increase in the number of households facing food insecurity over the last five years. The data also reveals that those households are visiting food banks more often, indicating a deepening in the need for charitable hunger relief support. Individuals Served & Number of Visits in March 2024 This graph depicts the number of individuals served and the number of visits made at BC Food Banks during the month of March from 2019 to 2024, excluding 2020. This continued growth in demand is occuring at a time when the sector is experiencing a general drop in donations, leaving many food banks asking the question, "How long can we sustain this?" Source: Food Banks Canada 2024 HungerCount. Implications of Food Insecurity “It’s about the we, not the I. If my neighbour is well, I am well." Islands Wellness Society Food Bank Food insecurity impacts not only the individual and household experiencing this form of deprivation, but also their community, province and country. We also know that food insecurity, poverty and health are inextricably linked. Research shows that Canadians with higher incomes are often healthier than those with lower incomes. The health impacts of food insecurity go beyond physical challenges associated with poor quality diets. Food insecurity is associated with mental health issues. Poverty and food insecurity can also severely restrict a person’s ability to participate in social life and to achieve gainful employment, creating a vicious cycle of poor physical, mental and social health. There is an intertwining of loneliness, poor health and food access challenges, with intensifying health consequences in later life. Social exclusion results in a lack of social networks that ordinarily help us to mitigate poverty through sharing resources, childcare assistance, transportation, job help and material and emotional support. The Role of Food Banks Canada has a two-tiered food system: those that can afford to shop at grocery stores, and those that can’t. Those that can’t afford to shop at grocers must relinquish choice and control while they rely on charitable food programs to meet the most basic of human needs: nourishment. Modern Canadian social constructs (or perceptions) typically position food insecurity and/or poverty as an individual problem, a personal failing, rather than as a systemic issue that we are all at risk of, to some degree. Today, food banks are serving not only those entrenched in poverty, but those who have always managed to get by until now. Food programs are commonly attached to other social services, providing opportunities to connect with support workers and programs, and increase belonging in community. Charitable food programs, including food banks, are an example of BC’s dependency on the non-profit sector to deliver essential services, bridging gaps in the public support system. Not only is the demand for services growing, but non-profits are incurring significantly higher operational expenses. Meanwhile, the number of Canadians making charitable donations has declined for the 11th year running. While innovation, creativity, compassion and hard work are at the core of charitable food programs, they have their limits. By understanding what creates food insecurity and its disproportionate representation among vulnerable people, we can then explore ways to decrease its prevalence through programs and policies, addressing the public health impacts that poverty creates for us all. “We are operating with the same amount of funding as in the past, but we have had a 300% client increase in the last year.” Mayne Island Food Bank Key Drivers of Food Insecurity in British Columbia “Since Covid ended, inflation has been the main driver, increasing visits by 40%. [...] We are seeing more homeowners and people who got out of poverty that have slid back into it.” Salvation Army Food Bank, Penticton Food insecurity is a complex issue that can be tied to a number of causes and intersections. The HungerCount data reveals that people are struggling with the cost of food and housing, and that for many, employment income is not enough to meet the cost of living. The increasing rates of food insecurity in BC can be attributed to the following recent shifts: Sharp rise in inflation Rapid interest rate hikes The lack of available housing supply, particularly affordable housing The loss of income supports like the CERB and other one-time affordability measures Significant and rapid population growth without the social infrastructure ready to absorb such an influx A slowdown in economic activity and a rising unemployment rate A deep dive into the economic, social and environmental drivers of food insecurity in BC provides clues about policy and program interventions that can address this growing crisis. Policy Recommendations The provincial government has recently enacted some policies that address food insecurity, such as providing funding for school food programs, food hubs, food banks and Indigenous food sovereignty, but more action is required. Politicians need to think beyond their 4-year term and enact long-term solutions that best support our most vulnerable citizens to meet their basic needs through navigating an adequate social support system and providing opportunities to rise out of poverty. When the National Advisory Council on Poverty asked how poverty should be reduced, the top priorities for Canadians as a whole included reducing the cost of food, strengthening health care, reducing taxes on households with low incomes, and reducing the cost of utilities. Among racialized people, the priorities were similar, but they also noted a need for upskilling and training opportunities. Food Banks BC, in alignment with recommendations offered by Food Banks Canada and the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition, recommends the following areas and opportunities to address food insecurity through policy. Increase income Increase food infrastructure and support food programs Support Indigenous food sovereignty Increase equity and Inclusion “Addressing poverty requires addressing systemic inequities and revising the social norms, processes, policy decisions, and legislations that created and perpetuate the problem” Food Banks Canada Food Banks Canada’s 2024 Poverty Report Card gave British Columbia a D+ grade, with over 45% of British Columbians reporting that they feel worse off than last year. The current cost of living crisis requires both short-term relief measures to alleviate inflation-related struggles, and long-term strategies to decrease the demand for social supports by improving housing, economic opportunity and healthcare. Read the Hunger Report Collectively, we can work toward a future where food banks are a thing of the past It will require bold policy commitments from all levels of government, willing, action-orientated participation from the private sector and a resilient, well-resourced social services sector to move us toward a hunger-free British Columbia. We are grateful to everyone who plays a part in progressing food security, social justice and poverty reduction in BC. Donate Interested in learning more about the state of hunger in British Columbia? Read our full 2024 Hunger Report.

This website was designed to conform to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA. The website was last updated on October 5th, 2023. Food Banks BC Accessibility Policy At Food Banks BC, we strive to provide support and resources in a way that respects the dignity and independence of all our community members. We commit to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our supports and resources and allowing them to benefit from the same services in the same place and in a similar way as other users. At Food Banks BC, a person with a disability supported by a service dog, a guide, or a support individual will be allowed to have that support resource accompany them while accessing our services. These support persons and service dogs are granted the same access as the person they are accompanying. Under no circumstances will a person with a disability and their support resource be prevented from accessing our services and resources. When a barrier to accessing our support and resources arises, Food Banks BC takes a proactive stance. We actively seek alternative ways to ensure access, encouraging individuals to communicate their specific needs. If there's uncertainty about accessing our services and resources, please reach out to us at info@foodbanksbc.com or 604-498-1798. At Food Banks BC, we celebrate differences and honour individuals’ experiences. We are committed to providing regular education and resources on accessibility and equity, ensuring that our staff and community members are always informed and equipped to promote inclusivity. We also strive to use inclusive language in our verbal and written communication. We encourage our member food banks to: 1. Provide spaces where people are treated with dignity. 2. Celebrate differences. 3. Center accessibility needs of their employees, volunteers, and clients. Accessibility is the work we do to ensure people with disabilities can access our services equally with others. It includes ways to remove barriers to access, including physical barriers, attitudes, communication, systemic, technology, and sensory considerations. Below are some examples of accessibility practices that Food Banks BC encourages our members to implement whenever possible (bearing in mind the limitations some organizations face, such as space and landlord restrictions). Physical Accessibility Practices • Ensuring an area where a HandyDart vehicle or accessible taxi can safely drop someone off. • Ensure the entryway to the food bank is accessible to wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers. • Ensuring there is an automatic door at the entrance and washroom. • Ensuring there is designated accessible parking available. • Ensuring a rest area is available for folks with health conditions that limit their ability to stand for extended periods. • Ensuring there is an area to wait in, protected from weather and the elements. • Ensuring washrooms have grab bars. Attitude Accessibility Practices • Greeting clients as they enter the space. • Collecting client feedback. Communication Accessibility Practices • Use signage or other materials that explain how the food bank runs and what to expect. • Offering options for non-verbal communication. • Communicating changes to stakeholders. • Providing signage or information in languages other than English. Systemic Accessibility Practices • Ensuring service hours are sufficient to reduce wait times and crowding. • Communicating to stakeholders how they can request accommodation for their disability (i.e. home delivery). • Communicating the complaint process and how to report an accessibility issue. • Ensuring employees and volunteers understand and agree with The Ethical Foodbanking Code. • Ensuring food bank operators are trained in de-escalation or other methods for holding safe space. • Providing choice to clients whenever possible. • Providing cooking suggestions for items that may be unfamiliar to clients. Technology Accessibility Practices • Ensuring websites are accessible to screen readers • Ensuring website graphs and charts have text to explain them Sensory Accessibility Practices • Accommodating food restrictions • Ensuring sufficient lighting allows someone with low vision to navigate the space. • Avoiding floors and wall colour contrasting with busy patterns. This website was designed to conform to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA. The website was last updated on October 5th, 2023. If you encounter accessibility issues, we welcome your report. You can send the information to info@foodbanksbc.com .

We believe in taking a fresh approach to the way food is distributed in our communities, resulting in innovative programs and solutions that have made BC Canada’s leader in food security.   Become a Member Food Banks BC comprises of over 100 member hunger relief agencies. Our members can be found in all corners of the province and in communities from Valemount to Vancouver or Sparwood to Surrey. As we see an increasing need for the services of food banks, Food Bank BC serves to support those who are undertaking this important work. Click below to learn more about membership. Learn More

We appreciate your support to help us help the Food Banks in BC. Food Donations To make a food donation, please go to the Find a Food Bank page t o connect directly with the food bank in your community. Corpora te Food Donations If you are a company or organization looking to make a larger food donation, please contact our Manager, Food Programs, Sherri Binks Top 10 Requested Items

Join Trail Appliances in tackling hunger by donating today! Join Trail Appliances in Tackling Hunger At Trail Appliances, we are glad to be part of cherished meals around kitchen tables across British Columbia. In our 50th year, we’re proud to partner with Food Banks BC to help address food insecurity across our province. Sharing food brings more than nourishment. It brings joy, pride, dignity, and health. Your support is vital to helping make everyday life better for families who don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Our goal is to raise $50,000 to support the essential work of Food Banks BC. Trail Appliances will match all donations up to $25,000. This means your donation will have double the impact! Please join us in supporting this extremely important cause. Together, we can tackle hunger and make a lasting impact. Thank you for your generosity and support.