COVID-19 Response and Schedule Changes

By Hajira Hussain in RFB News on March 16, 2020

Updated September 9, 2021: The Richmond Food Bank Society’s response to COVID-19 is as follows:

We Have Adapted and Expanded Our Services

We have adapted our services continually in response to Covid-19, including providing pre-packaged hampers for our clients to pick up as an “express” or grab-and-go option at the door, and offering a drive through grocery pickup option in West Richmond. Effective September 13th 2021, until further notice, once-weekly grocery assistance will be available from #100 5800 Cedarbridge Way, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays 11am – 2pm, and Thursdays 6pm – 7:30pm. As always, clients can visit the Richmond Food Bank to get groceries only one time per calendar week.
Clients have the option to pick up their weekly hamper on Tuesday from Peace Mennonite Church at 11571 Daniels Road (drop in between 3:30pm and 5pm sharp) instead of coming to the Cedarbridge Way location.
A West Richmond depot in the parking lot at Francis Rd and No 1 Rd near Hugh Boyd secondary is open Mondays 3:30-5pm sharp. Clients may pick up their weekly hamper from this location either by car (drive through option) or on foot.
Clients can call us about delivery options if they are unable to leave home and cannot arrange to designate someone else to pick up groceries on their behalf.

Safety and Health Measures

We are committed to being a Covid-19 vaccinated workplace. Our staff and volunteers are required to get vaccinated in order to conduct work in-person at/for the Richmond Food Bank. We encourage all members of the community to get vaccinated.
Masks are required at the Richmond Food Bank (all staff, volunteers, donors, visitors, and clients – if you are exempt from wearing a mask, we will assist you outdoors, remotely, or virtually)
We continue to regularly clean and sanitize work spaces and frequently-touched surfaces (this is a matter of food safety and health as well). We have daily janitorial staff, plus protocols and equipment to help workers keep work spaces clean.
Volunteers and workers wear disposable gloves, face covers, and required personal protective equipment when working.
We have put up posters reminding everyone how to stop the spread of germs, and also symptoms to watch out for. We send weekly email reminders and additional updates to all volunteers and workers on protocols for staying home and for coming to work. We have a non-contact thermometer for temperature checks.
One important way the virus is thought to spread is person-to-person (through direct contact, and/or between people who are within about 6 feet of each other, through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks). If your team, organization, school group, or faith-based group is hoping to schedule a tour of the Richmond Food Bank Society for educational or team-building purposes in the near future (even if it is a small group), we will ask you to postpone your visit. Volunteer shifts are continuing – in small teams with physical distancing measures in place – so that we can continue to operate and serve the Richmond community.

What you can do:

Here are some important things for us all to do, to avoid spreading illness

Get vaccinated (both shots)
Stay home whenever possible, and practice social distancing.
Wash your hands frequently, with water and soap, for at least 20 seconds.
Cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue (or into your elbow) then discard the tissue and wash your hands.
Avoid touching your face (eyes, nose, mouth), especially with unwashed hands.
Avoid contact with people who are sick.
If you are sick (especially with fever or cough), stay home except to get medical care.
- If you are sick or quarantined and need to stay home, but you need food from the food bank, please try to have somebody pick up food for you (they will need your ID or a letter of permission if they are not in your household). Or please call us: 604 271 5609.
- Volunteers and staff of the Richmond Food Bank are required to stay home for at least 10 days if they show any symptoms of cold/flu, or fever, cough, or difficulty breathing.
Follow guidelines when traveling.
You can call 811 for health advice, or try Richmond Public Health at (604) 233-3150. There is also a COVID-19 Information Service number: 1-833-784-4397

Thank You to our Donors

As always, thank you so much for supporting the Richmond Food Bank Society. The need for food bank usage often increases in difficult times such as these – companies and industries have been affected by the pandemic, many workers face lay-offs, and others may need to take unpaid leave from work. We are immensely grateful for your donations of funds, which allow us to purchase the particular items the Richmond community needs, and to serve those in need quickly and efficiently. You can donate securely online through Canada Helps and receive a tax receipt for donations over $20. You can also mail cheques made out to the Richmond Food Bank Society to #100 5800 Cedarbridge Way, Richmond, BC V6X 2A7, or donate by Visa or Mastercard over the phone (604 271 5609). Thank you.

Our hearts are with everyone affected by COVID-19. We encourage all community members to support one another to the best of their abilities, and to do so safely.