BC Thanksgiving Food Drive 2023
By Hajira Hussain in Community Events on September 6, 2023
The Richmond Food Bank Society is looking forward to 16th annual BC Thanksgiving Food Drive that will take place from September 18th-23rd, this year. This province wide initiative raises thousands of pounds of quality non perishable food, in support of food banks across BC. The goal this year is to raise over 800,000lbs of non perishable food from over 100 communities across BC.
Rising food prices and the high cost of renting is driving record numbers of people to access their local food bank. Like most other food banks, the Richmond Food Bank has also seen a rapid increase in the number of clients. Since the beginning of this year, the need for food assistance has increased by 53%.
The BC Thanksgiving food drive enables the food bank to keep their shelves stocked up and meet the increased need for grocery assistance. “Every year, our community has stepped up during this food drive with generous amounts of quality nonperishable food. Due to the current inflation and high cost of living, people who never thought they would need a food bank are having to make the tough choice of lining up for food. We need Richmond to continue to support us now more than ever.” said Hajira Hussain – Executive Director of the Richmond Food Bank Society. Last year, Richmond residents raised over 12,790lbs of non-perishable food that helped keep the shelves stocked all through the holiday months. The Richmond Food Bank assists over 2,900 individuals each week by providing perishable and nonperishable groceries through 4 regular distributions, 3 off-site depots and as well as through the home delivery program.
Richmond residents can expect to find paper bags at their door steps starting the week of September 18th. Residents are encouraged to place their nonperishable food donations in the paper bag and place the bag in front of their main door (visible from the driveway) before 9am on Saturday September 23rd. Volunteer drivers will pick up the donations on designated routes and deliver it to the Richmond Food Bank. You can also drop off food donation bags between 10am and 3pm at the Richmond Food Bank’s main location at 5800 Cedarbridge Way, or in a food bank donation bin at your nearest grocery store. We are very excited that Save-On-Foods will once again support this initiative and will involve all their 128 locations in B.C. They will be selling pre-packed donation hampers filled with our most needed items. Once you purchase a donation hamper, you can let the cashier know and they can place the hamper in the food bank donation bin.
The Richmond Food Bank appreciates all donations of nutritious, unopened, and non-perishable food items. Our Most Needed Items include rice, pasta, pasta sauce, cereal, canned protein (meat, fish, peanut butter), canned beans, canned fruits and canned vegetables. Individuals wishing to support us directly by making a monetary donation can do so over the phone, by mailing a cheque made out to the Richmond Food Bank Society, or through our secure online donation form on our website. We also accept e-transfers to treasurer@richmondfoodbank.org. The Richmond Food Bank does not solicit cash donations door-to-door.
Thank you to everyone who donates during the BC Thanksgiving Food Drive. We are so grateful for your support of our neighbours in need. We are also grateful to all the volunteers from the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints for their help in organizing the food drive, recruiting volunteers, preparing and delivering the bags, and picking up the donations for the food bank. The success of this food drive is hugely dependent on the amazing support of our community.
For more information on the food drive, please visit the website www.bctfooddrive.org or call our main office at (604) 271-5609.
Media Contact:
Hajira Hussain-Executive Director
Richmond Food Bank Society
info@richmondfoodbank.org
