More Food Bank information

The information below is for my hometown, but I suspect that every area has events that will be held to support the Food Bank. Do a google search and check out the events in your area, you will have some fun and help your neighbours.

Check out the fun community events in December that are also a great way to donate to the SHARE Food Bank.  

We are excited to let you know about all the fun events happening that are giving back to SHARE this Holiday Season through collecting donations of food for the SHARE FOOD BANK.

Some of the usual events are back this year with a bunch of new ones being added to the list weekly!

Drop by our food drive, pop into Moody Ales for a fun Christmas concert and don't miss the CP Holiday Train! 

December 1st - December 30th | Port Coquitlam Christmas House 1642 Greenmount Avenue, Port Coquitlam

December 2nd - December 24th | Coquitlam Centre Gift Wrap and HolidayTree 
Get your presents wrapped for a donation to SHARE!

December 4th  | SHARE Joy Holiday Food Drive 
Save on Foods Austin Stn., Coquitlam | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM 

December 4th | Klahanie Christmas Fair | Canoe Club, Klahanie Drive, Port Moody | 11am-2pm 

December 11th | Jingle Your Bells at Moody Ales, A Festive Concert! 
2601 Murray Street, Port Moody | 7pm-9pm 

December 16th  | Teddy Bear Toss | Poirier Rec Centre, Port Moody 
Puck drops at 7:00 PM 

December 17th | CP Holiday Train
Port Moody at 4:20 PM and Port Coquitlam at 5:45 PM

December 17th |  Wrestling For Hunger
Elks Lodge Port Coquitlam | Doors open at 7:00 PM 
  
Make sure to keep in touch through our Facebook page   for updates on the events and photos post events!  Our mailing address is:

SHARE Family & Community Services 
#200-25 King Edward St.
Coquitlam, Bc V3K 4S8 
Canada

Xmas is coming the goose is getting fat

Xmas is coming the goose is getting fat, 
Time to put a penny in the old man's hat.
If you haven't got a penny a ha'penny will do, 
If you haven't got a ha'penny then god bless you.

I sang this song to my kids and I sing it to my grandson around this time of year, because it is a reminder of the wonders of the season and of the great need of the season. For those of us who have our health, family, and friends close this can be a wonderful, enjoyable time of the year. For those who do not have family, friends close or who are not in good health, this time of year is depressing.

This is one of the times of the year when many of us take the time to reach out to our neighbors and friends who are less fortunate than we are. Please consider supporting your local Food Bank, your local Christmas Hamper and Toy drives. You will feel better and your support will be appreciated.

Support your local Food Bank

Your local Food Bank needs your help. As a Director of a non-profit society (SHARE) that runs three of our local Food Banks, I know the need is great at this time of the year for all Food Banks across our country. If you can support your local Food Bank please do so. 

The cost of living in the Lower Mainland is growing increasingly out-of-reach for many  families. Wages have not kept up with these costs, leading to an increasing gap between “rich” and “poor” in the area. The following data brings clarity to the nature and scope of the issue: 

• BC has the second-highest child poverty rate in Canada at 16.4%, compared to a national rate of 14%. 
• Food, child care and shelter costs have increased significantly over the past decade.  
• The 2011 monthly cost of the nutritious food basket for a family of four in the Fraser Health district is $851. A family of four on income assistance would need more than 100% of their income for food and shelter only. 
• The living wage (what each adult earner in a family need to bring home to support a family of four) for our region, as of April 2012, is $19.14 per hour, a significant increase over the $16.74 per hour rate 4 years ago. The minimum wage is $10.25/hr. 

Poverty in our region is a stubborn problem with no simple solution. SHARE continues to take a balanced approach that features services that address some of poverty’s root causes and support to lessen the pain and suffering associated with poverty

Last year our three food bank depots provided food to 8,936 people; 43% of the recipients were children and youth under the age of 19. The need for support has grown by 59% since 2007-2008. 

We also run a Christmas Programs, which provides food hampers for families and toys for children. Last year 2,697 adults and 2,215 children/youth received hampers and/or toys through the Christmas programs. 

Another plea to help the food bank in your community

I am a big supporter of the Food Bank in my community and the need is great at this time of the year. Each and every gift counts.  I received the following email from Food Banks Canada and thought I would share and ask you to help support your local food bank.  

 The need is great this year, and that’s because more families are needing our food banks. In fact, as you may have read in our recent HungerCount report, approximately half of the people that come for help to our local food banks will do so for the first time this year.

You may have seen another troubling figure in our report —38% of food banks have been forced to cut back the amount of food they provide to each household because they don’t have enough on their shelves.

And that’s why we count on you.

Will you please make your gift to Food Banks Canada right now? You’ll help us meet an immediate, critical need for food this winter by helping us support local food banks who provide food every day to those most in need.

Your gift will be put into action to support our network - feeding more of our neighbours today—hungry men, women and children in your community and across Canada. And your gift also helps us prevent hunger tomorrow by advocating for change to address the root causes of poverty like unemployment, lack of affordable housing and insufficient pensions.

Please, make yourself count today. Help us ensure that our local food banks are able to give our neighbours the food they need this winter and holiday season.

Yours in caring for our neighbours,


Katharine Schmidt 
Executive Director 

Help your local Food Bank

According to a recent Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Royal Bank of Canada, Canadians will spend an average of $629 on holiday shopping this year. Toys R Us has released its Fabulous 15 “must haves” for Christmas, and only 5 are under $49. These children’s toys run as high as $210. The first is Sofia the First Royal Talking Vanity is $79.99 and is for ages 3 to 5 years old. This is total madness! How many expensive toys do your kids really need? Do they need any?

The sad reality is that far too many children in our own communities are hungry. Food Banks Canada is reporting a concern of enormous proportions: food bank use remains higher than it was before the recession 
began five years ago. During a time of apparent economic recovery, far too many Canadians still struggle to put food on the table.Bombarding them and their children with messages of the Fabulous 15 is cruel when what they need is a hot, nourishing meal. In 2008, it appeared that progress was being made, as the number of people helped by food banks each month reached its lowest point in 10 years. Unfortunately, the recession hit Canada late that year, and food bank use suddenly skyrocketed 

According to the Food Bank Canada:

• In 2008 Food Bank use went up by 18%, rising from 675,735 to 794,738 people per month in 2009. 
• Food Bank use continued to rise until it hit a high of 872,379 last year. 
• During this time, food banks and other charitable food programs have been stretched to their limits.
• HungerCount 2013 tells us that the need for food banks and other charitable food programs in Canada continues to be widespread and, in many regions, continues to grow.
• In March of this year, 833,098 people received food from a food bank in Canada. 
• Of those helped, 36% were children and 77,920 were turning to a food bank for the first time. 
• During the same period, 4,341,659 meals were prepared and served by soup kitchens, shelters, school breakfast initiatives, and other programs.
• Food bank use decreased slightly, by 4.5%, from 2012 to 2013. it is nevertheless 23% higher than in 2008, before the last recession began. 
• The use of meal programs is 11% higher than in 2012, and 40% higher than in 2008.
• Nearly half of food banks reported an increase in use in 2013; these food banks saw a 21% rise in the number of people coming to them for help this year.
• The annual HungerCount survey results also highlight the fact that hunger, food insecurity, and poverty can happen to anyone:
• 22% of households helped by food banks are two-parent families.
• 12% of households assisted gain the majority of their income from employment; another 5% are on Employment insurance.
• 7% of individuals who receive food from a food bank live primarily on pension income (rising to nearly 10% in small towns and rural areas).
• 7% of households helped are homeowners (increasing to 15% in small towns and rural areas).

Christmas is a great time of year to teach our kids the value of money and compassion for others. Let’s explain how many meals the cost of a toy (to be soon forgotten) can buy and how as a family we can help those in need. Here are a few ways to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas with our kids:

• Visit seniors who are living alone and perhaps bring a hot meal or help with some chores around the house.
• Pack up unused toys and books and bring them to your local Children’s Hospital. Find out if any of the children have families who live far away and perhaps visit for a while or read a story.
• Cut back on the number of toys your kids will receive and instead donate a new toy any of the organizations that distribute to less fortunate children.
• Bring food to your local food bank.
• If your children are teenagers, volunteer at a soup kitchen or at the food bank.
• Seeing how others less fortunate live and the struggles that they face is a valuable learning lesson. And, perhaps this will help our kids get started on a path of volunteerism instead of consumerism.

Halloween spending is it overboard.

Your local food bank needs your support at this time of year and I am a big supporter of supporting our local food banks. I recently had a look at the amount of money as a society we spend on Halloween, and  I couldn't help but wonder how we could be benefitting our own families and others  in need instead.

The National Retail Federation’s (NRF) recent Halloween Spending Survey is interesting to say the least, some might say it is scary! I had no idea that Halloween is the third most important retail season of the year, after Christmas and back-to-school, and that approximately 158 million consumers will participate in Halloween activities this year. Average spending on Halloween has increased 54.7% since 2005, with total spending estimated to reach $6.9 billion in 2013

• 43.6% of people plan to dress up
• $1.04 billion will be spent on children’s costumes
• $1.22 billion will be spent on adult costumes
• 13.8% of people will dress up their pets
• $330 million will be spent on pet costumes
• $2.08 billion will be spent on candy
• $360 million will be spent on greeting cards
• $1.96 billion will be spent on decorations, second only to Christmas 

I’m not suggesting that we never spend money on anything silly and fun like Halloween, but I am suggesting that every family can or should consider spending to help others and I support the spending on food bank as a good way for families to help others. A local school in my community asked students to instead of trick or treating for candy ask for food or donations to the food bank. As parents we want to instill a sense of community for our kids and we can, even while spending a little foolishly on Halloween and supporting others by donating to the foodbank. 

The Foodbank needs your help

As a Director of SHARE FAMILY SERVICES I am proud of the work the organization is -doing in the Tri-Cities and would like to share the following with you. I was hoping that this year the demand for our foodbank would be less than in previous years, it is not, the demand is higher. We need your help and support to continue. Pleas help

SHARE FAMILY SERVICES is starting its seasonal funding raising drive.  Last year the  following letter was mailed out to residents of the Tri-cities. Some people opened it and responded, some opened it and were not able to respond, and others didn not open the mail. 

So I want to get the word out that the people who use our Services, need your support.  If you live in another area of the lowermainland or the country, and you can contribute to your local Food Bank and your local charities, I would encourage you to do so.

I plan to continue to contribute this year through monthly payments.  You can also choose to make a one time donation to the food bank, to purchase a Christmas hamper or to fund other items for families in need.  Thank you in advance for supporting your neighbours who need your support.

============================================================== 

A Message from the CEO of SHARE FAMILY SERVICES 

For many of us, December is a month of festive events, fond childhood memories, happy get-togethers and warm feelings. But for over 2,200 children and their families in the Tri-Cities area, December is a time of year that is filled with disappointment and sadness because they can’t put food on the table and don’t have the resources to enjoy the season.

Thanks to generous donors, SHARE has been able to help families in need enjoy the holiday season since 1972. Last year alone 1,773 families received Christmas hampers, 1,722 children received toys through the Toy Bank, and throughout the year 2,859 families were fed through the Food Bank. This is a reminder that we still need your help and hope you will consider being even more generous than in the past as we try to keep pace with increasing needs in the Tri-cities.

As you read  the message from Martin, consider your own community and those who need your help and if you can support the food bank in your town or city.

Every year, we count on our fundraising and food raising in December to help us get through until the spring. While we will not have final numbers for the amount of food and funds that we have raised until January, we know that our efforts have simply not been able to keep up with the demand that we have been seeing. Even though we reduced the size of our Christmas hampers this year, we are still far short of the food and funds we need to put food on the shelves of the Food Bank in January. As most of you know, our Food Banks do not receive government funding…we are able to deliver these services only through the generous donations we receive from the Tri-cities community and the thousands of hours of volunteer time we receive from hundreds of caring people.

We need to generate significantly more donations in the next few days. At this point, donations of funds are preferred to donations of food, as funds allow us to act quickly to make appropriate food purchases. I would appreciate it if you would consider a donation and forward this message to others who might also be willing to help the children and families we serve with our food bank. If you are able to make a donation, you can easily do so by connecting to the following link:

 https://give.sharesociety.ca/donatenow 

For those of you who have already made a donation, please forgive this appeal and accept our sincere thanks. If you could forward this message to others who might be able to help, we would sincerely appreciate it.

SHARE has a long history of finding a way to help when and where help is needed the most and this is certainly one of those times.

Thank you, everyone, for your consideration. I wish each of you the best in the year ahead. And, for those of you who are interested in discussing new approaches to tackle child poverty, please drop me a line so that we can include you on our mailing list.

Sincerely,


Martin Wyant
Chief Executive Officer

Food Bank HUNGER REPORT 2011

The following is taken from Food Banks of Canada Web site and is an interesting read and gives another perspective on how the economy in BC is doing. Please support the members of your community who need our support by giving to the Food Bank!

Thank you

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Food Bank Use in British Columbia, 2011

Prepared by Food Banks British Columbia, Member of Food Banks Canada 

Key Findings 

In March 2011:

- Food bank use in British Columbia was 16% higher this year compared to 2008, before the recession began

- The province experienced the second highest level of food bank use on record

- 32% of those assisted were children and youth

- 41% of assisted households were families with children

- More than 16% of households receiving food had income from current or recent employment

Food Bank Use in British Columbia, 2011
British Columbia has seen a slight decrease in people visiting food banks in 2011 after a 16% increase as a result of the 2008-09 recession.

This is due to BC’s economy slowly edging back after the recession. The recovery was broadly based, with both the goods and service sectors making significant gains. A long downturn in the forest sector finally came to an end in 2010 while the mining, oil and gas extraction industry posted its first increase in real GDP since 2005.
The construction industry also picked up speed after losing ground in 2009. In the service sector, most industries made gains in 2010. The Olympics provided a boost to several tourist-related industries, including accommodation and food services, which expanded 3.5%.

BC’s unemployment rate fell 0.8 percentage points to 6.7% (seasonally adjusted in September, the lowest rate recorded since January 2009). The province’s jobless rate remains below that for Canada as a whole, and BC’s economy is expected to grow moderately over the next year. The average weekly wage in British Columbia was a respectable $839.93 in August, and the average hourly wage in the province was $22.97.

In spite of the above figures there are still almost 100,000 people visiting food banks each month in British Columbia, and more than 30% are children.

The need for affordable housing is still a major issue and the cost of living in BC is one of the highest in Canada. With the latest drop in the stock market, many people living on retirement funds are going to face financial hardship as their savings have dropped significantly. Seniors, families, single parents and people with jobs paying minimum wage are relying on food banks more and more – some for a short time and some for longer. H u n ger Cou n t 2 0 11

Of the 92 FBBC member food banks, 56% are rural food banks in regions with populations of 10,000 or less. These food banks have only one or two major industries, and jobs can be hard to come by – if a major employer fails or has to cut staff then donors to food banks can quickly become clients.

Another issue with rural food banks is the limited amount of resources for food. There may be no major supermarket in the area and getting enough food to these rural food banks is a heavy burden for the food bank community.

In summary, food banks were started over 25 years ago as an emergency measure to help during a deep recession. They have now become an institution. Although the economy is on the rise, not everyone is impacted by this. Low income families cannot provide the support and food required by their children to continue their education and therefore they become low income citizens and the circle of poverty is not broken. Even with the slight drop in people using this assistance, the numbers are still significant. No Canadian should go hungry and this is especially true for children.

Port Moody Foodbank runds out of food--we need your help

As you may know I am on the Board of Directors of SHARE Family Services which runs the foodbank. I just received this email from our CEO, your help is appreciated.

Folks:
We need all the help we can get to stock the food bank shelves. While we expect to see food arriving towards the end of the week, we still have many hampers to pack this week. Key items that we need include:

-          kraft dinner

-          canned meals (not soup)

-          tuna

Anything you can do to help, including “spreading the word”, would be much appreciated.
http://www.vancouversun.com/life/food+bank/3971361/story.html
Thank you so much, in advance, for your help…
 Marty