Last Updated on April 19, 2024
The Richmond Food Bank is grateful for the donations we receive from individuals, families, businesses and community organizations, that we use to support those in need in our community (see Thank You post for donors). This post explains how we use your donations, and who we supported in the past year (January to December 2023).
Food donations
The food donations we receive get sorted and make their way directly into the hands of the individuals and families that we support. When an individual or a family request assistance, our volunteers will prepare a grocery order filled with non-perishable food and personal care items. In general, food donations have been lower than in previous years.
We continue to participate in food recovery programs through Lionhearts Inc, and Food Banks Canada’s Retail Food Program. In 2023, we also began participating in Second Harvest, where we receive non-perishable food and personal care items from two Shoppers Drug Mart stores in Kanata/Stittsville.
Thank you to local farms, Nixon Farm and Rideau Pines Farm, for their donations of fresh seasonal produce.
Monetary donations
The monetary donations received are used to purchase food in bulk to fill our shelves during periods in the year when we receive fewer food donations, and also to purchase much needed items that we don’t necessarily receive as donations.
Monetary donations are also used to purchase the fresh food that we provide in our hampers three times per year (i.e. turkey, ham, potatoes, fresh vegetables, etc for holiday meals).
Finally, monetary donations are used to purchase gift cards for our local grocery store. Unfortunately, the food bank does not have the space or resources to store perishable items such as meat, produce, bread, and milk. Therefore, we also provide a small amount of support in the form of gift cards, that the individuals and families receiving support can use to purchase these items from our local grocery store.
Who received support in 2023?
Food bank clients may receive assistance in the form of a grocery order once per month. Hampers are also available three times per year, in the Spring, Fall and Winter.
In 2023, the food bank supported 98 families (up from 76 in 2022), consisting of 168 adults and 119 children.
Monthly support
In 2023, we provided support to an average of 38 families each month (up from 26 in 2022), and we prepared a total of 454 grocery orders (an increase from 316 orders in 2022).
We have been seeing an on-going increase in demand for our services each month, and in the last 6 months of 2023, we were supporting an average of 45 families per month, which is almost double the demand from 2022.
We provide support on an as-needed basis. This means that some individuals and families may receive support every month, and others possibly only once or twice to get them through a hard time.
We are grateful to have been able to partner with the Rural Ottawa South Support Services (ROSSS), who have allowed us to deliver food to those in need in our community who are unable to come to the food bank due to mobility issues.
Hampers
Hampers are offered three times per year, in the Spring, Fall and Winter. Hampers are available upon request, and include fresh food for a holiday meal (i.e. turkey or ham, potatoes, fresh veggies, dessert), as well as some staple non-perishable food and personal care items.
In 2023, we provided a total of 162 hampers, as follows:
| Spring | 38 hampers (32 hampers in 2022) |
| Fall | 52 hampers (36 hampers in 2022) |
| Winter | 72 hampers (54 hampers in 2022) |