Programs

Can’t get to the food bank?

Please do not hesitate to call or contact us. We are able to assist with coordinating food drop-offs, or rides to the community pantry. Appointments outside of pantry hours may be available, and we are open to feedback on preferred opening times.

Contact
The community pantry will be open from 9am-1pm every Thursday. All are welcome.

We provide fresh produce, proteins, eggs, milk, frozen foods, baked goods, and a large selection of non-perishable goods. Availability of produce will vary seasonally.

We are located at the Paddy Lambert Memorial Hall, right behind the fire hall. If you’re driving to the pantry, please make sure to park in front (the back parking lot is for firefighters). We have a wagon and can assist you getting your food to your vehicle.

Want to know more? Want to receive weekly email reminders about when we are open?
Contact us at: info@mayneislandfoodbank.com or (250) 222-3663

Future Programs

We had planned to have these programs in operation in the Spring of 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic has put these plans on hold. When we are able the following programs will be instituted:

Community Kitchen

Community Kitchens are a safe, empowering environment where diverse groups of people can come together to learn and share skills of budgeting, planning, shopping, and cooking healthy meals to take home to their families. Once a month the group gathers to prepare 3-5 nutritious meals for their families. Participants learn new cooking skills, such as how to adjust recipes to make them more nutritious, how to increase fruits and vegetables in dishes, and knife handling, to name a few. As well as preparing meals, participants learn how to make soups, jams and jellies, preserve, freeze, and dry fruits and vegetables.

Community Kitchens are more than just preparing food, they celebrate the power of food to bring people together, strengthen community connections and build capacity.

Soup Tuesday

On the Second Tuesday of each month, volunteers for the Food Bank will make pots of soup for serving from 11:30 to 1:30. The soup, a bun, and coffee, tea, or juice will be available to any resident — workers, retired folks or ‘stay-at-home moms and their toddlers — who would like to join others for a quick lunch. We especially invite children from the school, accompanied by an adult, to walk over to the Old School House to enjoy a hot bowl of soup.

Any leftover soup will be packed in containers and frozen for delivery to clients on the following Food Hamper Distribution Day.

Food Recovery

Usable produce and baked goods that have passed their prime are usually discarded and end up in the landfill. Much of this food is often usable with some sorting and trimming. We at the Food Bank plan to make use of this food.

Volunteers will visit the grocery stores to collect this food and bring it to the Old School House where it will be sorted, trimmed and refrigerated or frozen for future distribution.

Food Recovery has become a major undertaking in various cities and towns in North America and we are pleased to be part of this movement.

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