As increased costs of living continue to strain British Columbians, the Greater Vancouver Food Bank is encouraging its donors to maximize their contributions with smart contribution practices.
If possible, that means avoiding the prepacked hamper bags at the grocery store checkout, said chief operating officer Cynthia Boulter, which are not terribly “efficient or effective” for those in need.
“The food that is in these bags isn’t high in nutrition. It tends to be on the cheaper side of things, so it’s very likely that that’s the type of food people who are struggling with food insecurity could afford,” she explained on 980 CKNW’s The Mike Smyth show Thursday.
“The paper bags are kind of the biggest concern because the customer can’t even see what they’re buying.”
The hampers, which typically sell for between $10 and $20 at grocery store checkouts, often contain a random assortment of non-perishable food items, in addition to toiletry items. Food banks put great time and care into their meal planning, Boulter added, and it’s not often that they’re consulted on what goes into the bags.
“We looked at one yesterday that had a can of beans in it, a small tin of pineapple chunks, a box of stuffing, and then a box of high-sodium packaged chicken noodle soup,” she said. “So there isn’t a lot of nutrition in there and it’s just, you can’t plan a meal with that.
“We’d really love the grocery chains not to spend the time and energy and packaging on this, and just allow people to donate money at the till and then to pass that on to your local food bank because your local foodbank knows what they need and they’re buying power is likely greater than yours.”
That’s where the Surrey Food Bank has a difference of opinion. Executive director Nancy Pagani said her organization enjoys receiving the prepacked bags.
“For the most part, we are fine with the bags that we get, especially ones that are see-through. Then the consumer knows exactly what’s in them,” she told Global News.
“I think a lot of it, too, is consumer education, so have a look at what’s in the bag and what you’re purchasing. But for the most part, we’ve been very happy with what we’re getting.”
Pagani said she’s concerned the Greater Vancouver Food Bank’s comments about the bags could hurt overall donations in Surrey, which doesn’t receive other donations from large retail outlets.
“The only donations we get is from the consumer that puts items in those boxes at the front of the store,” she explained.
“So if this kinds of this kind of information is getting out to the consumer, then they’re less likely to donate right to the boxes themselves. The other thing that we can do is encourage, you know, the consumer to donate personally or purchase other food and put it in the box.”
The Surrey Food Bank has no government funding. Forty-seven per cent of its clients are under 18 years old, Pagani added.
Boulter, meanwhile, said every time the Greater Vancouver Food Bank receives the bagged goods, staff has to spend time pulling them apart and finding a home for the food items, which is not the best use of time or resources.
“Our mission is, you know, providing healthy food to those in need, so we just want to do that most efficiently,” she said.
“We’re super grateful for the public’s help and we want them to feel like they are helping in the most efficient way to get the best food in front of people who need it that they can.”
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