Westside Community Food Bank

About

In 1983, the Kelowna Community Food Bank Society set up operation in a church basement to meet the emergency food needs of our community in the throws of a difficult economic recession. Like many Food Banks across Canada, temporary help became a permanent community service.

In the ensuing decades, the Kelowna Food Bank has grown from serving 600 people per year to nearly 2, 500 individuals per month, with nearly a third of them children under age 16.

Over the years we have seen much change and have met many challenges, weve come a long way in understanding nutrition, our community and raising awareness about the affects of poverty and hunger in it. In 2004 we moved to our current 10,000 sq.ft Ellis St. warehouse from our Lawson Avenue location.

In April 2004 we launched our Nutrition Improvement programming (NIP) following extensive consultation, advocacy, and receipt of federal funding under the National Homelessness Initiative. At that time, three distinct groups were identified as nutritionally at-risk:seniors age 55+ and youth 15 years and younger (Vitality Program); those with medical conditions (Special Needs Program); and pregnant mothers and families with children under the age of one (Tiny Bundles weekly). Today, more than half of our recipients qualify for one of these programs.

The Kelowna Food Bank is established under the Society Act with 9 Directors and 21 voting members, all volunteering or elected from our.community.

Westside Community Food Bank is a food bank located in West Kelowna, BC.