The Food Bank hosted food drives at major grocery retailers during early April. The generosity of local shoppers collectively raised 11,160 lb. of food and $6,304 in donations to help households across the Kelowna and West Kelowna communities. This was made possible by many generous COFB volunteers and key volunteer groups such as the Okanagan Mission, Downtown, Morning Side and Day Break Rotary Clubs.
Rotarians remind us, “People need help all year round. We like supporting food drives because they allow nearly everyone to help, big or small. Many folks just need a little boost after a challenging winter.”
Unprecedented inflation and the crisis in Ukraine will negatively affect all supply chains, including food. When household budgets are affected, purchasing power is significantly reduced. If you live on a fixed income, tough choices have to be made, and usually, food and medication are the first things people go without.
The food bank has assisted families that have fled Ukraine, and more families are to arrive soon. A fund has been set up to help those families during this very traumatic and abrupt change in their circumstances. COFB wants to encourage those who have been displaced by the war to reach out and contact us about how they can assist in lessening the burdens on their households.
“Each year, we take part in the national food bank census, and typically, our client visits will increase along with the population growth. But this year, we recorded over 1,000 additional clients visiting in March 2022 versus March 2021. That is an unusual jump, and watching other food banks across the country, we believe this trend will continue for some time now,” says CEO Trevor Moss.
Despite the rise in food costs, Trina Speiser, COFB’s new Director of Development, suggests financial donations are still the best way to support those accessing the local services, "Our buying power is still quite strong, and we are in a position to find the best pricing on all kinds of nutritious food staples, most especially our fresh food offerings.”
For those that require food assistance, the Central Okanagan Food Bank encourages individuals to reach out. Call 250-763-7161 or visit www.cofoodbank.com today.
To donate, please visit www.cofoodbank.com/donate.