The Province is providing a $3-million emergency grant to the Food Banks British Columbia.
Food Banks British Columbia will distribute the money among food banks province wide to support their immediate needs to buy and distribute food, pay employees and cover other costs essential to the delivery of their food programs.
Food Banks BC was selected to distribute the funding because of its expertise in management of food distribution.
Food Banks BC will assess the needs and requirements of food banks to determine the amount and timing of the distribution. Funds will be distributed quickly and equitably to food banks across all regions of the province.
The grant to Food Banks BC is in alignment with the ministerial order issued March 26, 2020, under the Emergency Program Act, to protect B.C.’s most vulnerable, making it easier to support critical services for vulnerable people, like food banks and shelters.
“We know that many British Columbia families count on food banks to supplement their weekly grocery needs. To help ensure that people continue to have access to the food they need, our government is taking steps by supporting B.C. food banks so they can, in turn, keep meeting the needs of the people in the communities they serve,” said Mable Elmore, Parliamentary Secretary for Poverty Reduction.