About Food Banks BC
We’re relieving hunger today and preventing hunger tomorrow for all British Columbians
Donate today and join us in the fight to tackle hunger in BC!
Who We Are and What We Do
Food Banks BC is the provincial association of food banks and a leading voice for the hunger relief sector and the people it serves.
We work alongside food banks across the province to help people get the food they need now, and to advance lasting solutions to hunger.
We focus on two interconnected priorities: supporting the frontline organizations responding to hunger today, and advocating for policies and systems that reduce food insecurity in the future.
Members on the Front Line
With 1 in 4 British Columbians experiencing food insecurity, the need for charitable food supports is widespread, and demand for food banks has never been greater.
Our membership includes 111 hunger relief agencies operating in communities throughout British Columbia. These organizations are on the front lines, providing food and essential supports to people facing financial hardship.
Food Banks BC strengthens their work by providing resources and supports that boost their capacity to serve their communities. This includes distributing food and financial donations, offering training and capacity-building programs, and creating opportunities for collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the network.
A Provincial Voice
Food Banks BC has become a leading voice in the fight against hunger and food insecurity in British Columbia.
Through advocacy, research, and collaboration with government and community partners, we work to strengthen the hunger relief sector and improve the systems that affect food access.
Our advocacy has helped secure greater support for food banks across the province: enhancing capacity, reducing operational pressures, and allowing organizations to respond to growing demand.
Programs such as the Perishable Food Refrigeration Program have supported food banks to expand cold storage capacity. They can now distribute more fresh, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food to the people they serve.
Beyond supporting food banks across the province, Food Banks BC is a committed advocate for people in British Columbia experiencing food insecurity.
Food insecurity is a complex issue that cannot be solved through charitable food programs. While food banks provide essential support for people facing difficult circumstances, the need for food assistance is driven by broader systemic challenges. Poverty, rising housing costs, precarious employment, inadequate income supports, and the high cost of living are all issues connected to food insecurity.
To address hunger effectively, we must better understand who is using food banks and the circumstances that lead people to rely on them.
Food Banks BC works closely with our members to gather data, monitor trends, and listen to the experiences of people seeking food support in communities across the province.
This information helps inform our advocacy and policy recommendations to government and partners. By identifying the root causes of food insecurity, we work to advance solutions that reduce poverty, strengthen social supports, and improve access to affordable, nutritious food.
Our goal is a future where everyone in British Columbia has the financial stability and resources they need to purchase the food they want and need, and where food banks are no longer necessary.
Our Values
Integrity
We are honourable, inclusive, respectful, and trustworthy
Dignity
We see and respect the inherent value and worth of every British Columbian
Accountability
We are accountable to our members and transparent in our dealings with all stakeholders
Collaboration
We share and work with our stakeholders and each other collaboratively towards common goals
Equity
We advocate for and believe in equitable access to food for all British Columbians
Responsiveness
We adapt and respond appropriately to changing conditions with timeliness, flexibility, and innovation
Partners in this Work
We are grateful to be partners with like-minded collaborators and cause champions in this work. The impact of our efforts is amplified through the strengths of these trusted partners:
Spirit of Giving Award
As the provincial association of food banks in British Columbia, we see countless acts of kindness and generosity through the work of our member agencies and those who support their cause.
So much of this effort goes unnoticed, so we want to acknowledge the contributions of these everyday superheroes.
Launched in 2022, the annual Food Banks BC Spirit of Giving Award recognizes the significant contributions of individuals and community partners who have demonstrated their commitment to supporting food banks or hunger relief in BC.
Community Partner Award Recipients
2025: BC Housing Staff Supporters
2024: BC Liquor Distribution Branch
2023: Susan Byrom – First West Credit Union
2022: Anne Penman – CBC
Agency and Individual Award Recipients
2025:
Lake Country Food Bank
Anne Irving – Vanderhoof Food Bank
2024:
The Salvation Army Penticton
Sandra Cascaden – St. Joseph’s Food Bank
2023:
Lillian Schreiner – Kamloops Food Bank