12 Aug Coast-wide Food Bank Drive Raises $100K

On June 11th the four food banks on BC’s Sunshine Coast launched a Coast-wide food bank drive to raise $100,000 for their current and future operations by July 15th.

With COVID-19 exasperating financial pressures for families on the Coast, the local food banks- the Sunshine Coast Food Bank, the Pender Harbour Food Bank, the Salvation Army, and St. Bart’s Food Bank, have all experienced an increase in the need for their services. Carey Rumba, the Sunshine Coast Community Services’ manager responsible for food programming shared that “too many people in our community cannot make it through the month without running short of food”. 

Support for the food bank drive poured in from the community, and just 35 days after launching the campaign, the total stood at $107,837 including pledges. Funds came in from local residents, realtors, small businesses, and churches, with half of the total donations being received from corporate donors. 

Partnering with the Sunshine Coast Foundation, the food banks agreed that 90% of the donations would be divided amongst the food banks and the remaining 10% portion would be placed in a permanent endowment fund held by our Foundation. This permanent fund will provide sustainable financial support to the food banks for years to come. 

“We all know that we have to address the root problems of poverty, but in the meantime, people just can’t be allowed to go hungry,” our Executive Director Wendy Francis told the Coast Reporter’s Kelli Bartlett. Our Foundation was pleased to help the food banks meet their needs for the coming months and beyond and included a $5,000 donation from our funds in contribution to the goal.  

We are thrilled with the generosity of our community members here on the Coast and expect the donations to support the food banks for the next six months.

Donations will continue to be accepted for the Coast-wide Food Bank Fund held at the Foundation. You can give to the permanent endowment, or you can specify that your gift be used immediately by one, two, three, or all four food banks. To donate, please visit the donation page for the fund. 

To choose another method of payment, please visit our Ways of Giving page and let us know how to direct your gift.

Stay tuned in the fall when the food banks launch their annual pre-holiday campaign.