Just two weeks after it was launched by the local faith community and area service clubs, the Sunshine Coast Food Bank Drive has raised $35,000 for the four food banks on the Coast.
“We’ve always seen when there’s people along the Coast who need support, people along the Coast step up to provide that,” said Catherine Leach, executive director at Sunshine Coast Community Services (SCCS), which is receiving and distributing the donations.
Some organizations have provided large direct donations, while initiative such as Friday Night Live performances have helped spread the word.
The drive has arrived as food banks brace for an increase in demand in the coming weeks.
“Last week we saw maybe a seven per cent increase and I think this week we’re going to see a significant increase,” said Norm Blair on April 6. He oversees operations at the SCCS food bank in Sechelt, the largest on the Sunshine Coast with approximately 700 registered users.
Blair said the food banks are sharing resources to ensure food is available at each location.
The Salvation Army Sunshine Coast Ministries, which operates a food bank in Gibsons, has seen demand rise by approximately 10 per cent over the past week. The organization normally serves approximately 100 people.
“The longer this pandemic goes along, the more people will need our resources,” said ministry director Darrell Pilgrim. “People who typically have not felt comfortable asking for help, there’s going to be no way out for them,” he said, adding, “It’s OK to ask for help.”
In anticipation of that higher demand from first-timers, last week SCCS launched a COVID-19 Emergency Food and Essentials hotline (604-865-0832, Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.).
“We wanted to create something that would be a little more welcoming. Sometimes people don’t feel really comfortable reaching out to a food bank,” Leach said.
Food banks on the Sunshine Coast are also adopting new strategies for distributing and accepting food.
The Salvation Army food bank reported a decrease in their bread and produce program, which relies on food from local suppliers. “Some of the bakeries have closed down and the stores have less product,” Pilgrim said. “We’re having to purchase that stuff for the first time.”
In addition to money from the food bank drive, on Friday they applied for a portion of a $3 million emergency funding package from the provincial government for Food Banks BC.
Partnerships have also added to the supply.
In Sechelt, Independent Grocer has provided 5,000 pounds of fresh and frozen food weekly for the past three weeks, and BC Food Banks is providing more food through Loblaws, Blair said. “We would never get that kind of regular inventory.”
This has also allowed the food bank to provide more food and other items, such as toothpaste, diapers and toilet paper, than normal. The Tuesday before Easter, they offered chocolate bunnies.
As for individual food donations – both food banks are discouraging it for now in favour of financial donations.
“We don’t have the volunteer staff or the time to be able to sanitize everything that comes into the food bank,” Blair said. “There have been some people that have shown up to the door and were pretty upset that we wouldn’t take it, but they just have to understand once it comes inside our space we need to be sure that it’s not carrying anything.”
In terms of operations, the Salvation Army food bank is providing weekly “to-go” meals, and food deliveries are being made daily. People can call to register between noon and 3 p.m.
To maintain social distancing, people are no longer allowed inside the Sechelt food bank, but can place orders at the site. It’s remaining open Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
The other two food banks, one run through Pender Harbour Community Church and St. Bartholomew’s food bank in Gibsons, did not respond before deadline.
The food bank drive is ongoing and donations can be made online at www.sccss.ca/get-involved/donate. Select “COVID-19 Food Bank Drive” to donate. See sunshinecoastfoodbankdrive.ca for more information.
