Greater Vancouver Food Bank facts for kids
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Founded | 1983 |
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Registration no. | 107449787 |
Headquarters | 8345 Winston St. Burnaby B.C. Canada |
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The Greater Vancouver Food Bank is a special group in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It's a charity that helps people who don't have enough food. They work hard to make sure everyone in their community has access to healthy meals.
How the Food Bank Started
The Greater Vancouver Food Bank (GVFB) began in 1983. Many groups, like churches and caring citizens, came together. They wanted to help people during a tough time called an economic recession in 1981. During a recession, many people lose their jobs. This means they might not have enough money for food.
At first, the GVFB was meant to be a short-term help. It was a social service to get people through a difficult period. But sadly, more and more people needed help with food. So, the GVFB became a very important organization. It is now one of Canada's top food providers. It does not get most of its money from the government.
When it first started in 1983, the Food Bank helped about 200 people. Today, the GVFB helps over 15,000 people every single month! They serve communities like Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, and the North Shore.
Helping Other Groups
The Food Bank doesn't just give food directly to families. They also give a lot of food to other community groups. These are called "Agencies." About 47% of all the food the GVFB collects goes to these other organizations.
This help allows the Agencies to run their own programs. Some are small community kitchens. They might feed a few people in need. Others are larger food banks that help hundreds of people each week.
The Agencies include many different places. Some are neighbourhood houses or after-school programs. There are also places like transition houses and First Nations centers. They even help other food banks across the province. This way, the Greater Vancouver Food Bank helps many different people in many different ways.