Five grocers are banding together to launch a fundraising campaign to help provide food to the capital region’s neediest residents.
The Island Food Caring Campaign runs from today to June 23.
It is supported by Fairway Market, Thrifty Foods, Country Grocer, Red Barn Market and the Root Cellar. Grocers are asking the public to support the campaign by in-store donations or online.
Proceeds will go through the Victoria Foundation to support the existing Food Rescue Project, which collects and distributes food in Greater Victoria. The foundation will match donations up to a total of $25,000.
Robert Jay, vice-president of Fairway Market, spelled out the need, saying about 50,000 people in the capital region are food insecure.
“That means families, children, youth, seniors, our neighbours don’t always know when their next meal is coming. That means people in our community go hungry.
“This affects people’s ability to lead full and healthy lives. This has a negative impact on the learning outcomes of children and youth. This is unacceptable,” Jay said.
“In an affluent region such as Greater Victoria, no one should go hungry.”
The Food Rescue Project includes the Food Rescue Distribution Centre, established in 2017. This project collects more than 2,000 kilograms of fresh food daily from grocers and farms. Donated food is delivered through a network of more than 50 community organizations to feed about 35,000 people — fewer than the 50,000 in need.
Funds raised will help save money currently spent on food and operations by social organizations. This will allow them to redirect funds to essential services and support programs, such as child care, affordable housing, employment training, and mental-health support, Jay said.
Ralf Mundel, vice-president of operations for Thrifty Foods, said the company has been part of the Food Rescue Project from its inception and has been donating food over the long term. “It’s been an ongoing part of the fabric of Thrifty Foods since 1977 and it is just simply the right thing to do, to support our region.”
Rudi Wallace, Victoria Foundation grants manager, said a campaign aim is to raise about $100,000 for food distribution-centre operations, such as running trucks, electricity, cold storage, and to provide individual agencies with appliances such as fridges or freezers.
The Victoria Foundation has played a major role in setting up and supporting the Food Rescue Project. Sandra Richardson, the foundation’s chief executive, said the new campaign is “about every citizen — all of us. We can help support this amazing work and help it grow so that no one in the region is food insecure.”
Colin Tessier, executive director at Threshold Housing Society, said food is “essential to almost everything we do here. It is also a budget line item for us in a very demanding financial scenario.”
The society assists young people who are at risk and who are homeless, providing a safe place to live, services and a community. Friday’s announcement was made at Threshold’s Oak Bay home, where eight young people are living.
Along with providing nourishment, “this food is a tool for teaching and learning and growth in people’s lives,” Tessier said.
A lot of the youth come from difficult situations where “ideas of nutrition or healthy food aren’t even on the radar. It’s mostly survival or even just getting that next meal, regardless of what it is.”
Access to nutritious healthy food “has an incredible impact,” Tessier said.
Donations can be made either in participating stores or at islandfoodcaring.ca
