Blog
The Richmond Food Bank Video
Moving video of all the things the food bank does in our community. It’s so much more than handing out food.
read moreDo food banks work?
…..But what never comes through in the media coverage of food banks is that in all the research only a fraction of the people who are struggling to put food on the table go to food banks. It’s stunning to hear that, because food banks literally own the public perception of the issue of hunger in our cities. This goes back to 1994, the first time a national survey ran questions about people having trouble getting enough food because of financial constraints. From that survey it was clear that the numbers reporting the problem were much...
read more‘War’ declared on Delta farmland
War has been declared on Delta’s prime farmland. That’s the assessment of Vicki Huntington and others following the Delta South MLA uncovering the private sector’s plans to purchase hundreds of acres close to the B.C. Rail line for industrial development. Huntington fears the land will be taken out of the Agricultural Land Reserve. Much of the land had originally been expropriated in the 1960s by the government of the day for industrial development that never ended up taking place. After much lobbying by farmers and their...
read moreSobering Local Food Security Statistics
There is a perception that food banks primarily serve two kinds of people: those who have temporarily fallen on difficult financial times and those who are mentally or physically challenged and therefore unable to work. The reality is easily lost in the wealth that exists in much of Richmond. Or, perhaps more accurately, lost in the appearance of wealth in Richmond. In an average week, The Richmond Food Bank distributes food to over 550 households or roughly 2,000 individuals. That’s about 1 person for every hundred people living in...
read moreBreakfast Club serves more than food
By Michelle Hopkins, Richmond News March 29, 2012 It’s 8 a.m. on a windy, rainy Wednesday morning. The gym at General Currie elementary is buzzing with the happy chatter and laughter of more than 120 children. Welcome to the Breakfast Club — a new, weekly program offering much more than just a nutritious and tasty meal for any student who wants to come. It’s a social gathering. Initially, the idea was to offer a meal to kids who otherwise wouldn’t have breakfast, but staff decided kids might not come if they felt singled-out. So, they...
read moreIntroducing The New Food Security Coordinator
Welcome Colin Dring Colin is a long time resident of Richmond where he was born and raised. In his latter years he has become a skilled facilitator, project manager and researcher. He recently completed his Master’s in Science in Rural Planning and Development where he focused on agri-environmental and food system planning. His undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia was in Agroecology with a specialization in soil and environmental science. He has won numerous agricultural awards and has extensive research and project...
read moreAction Team Meeting February 2012
Richmond Food Security Society – Action Team minutes February 16, 2012 In Attendance: Arzeena Hamir, Erika Simms, Alex Nixon, Anne Swann, Lois Carson-Boyce, Janice Lambert, Debbie Brow, Sue Burford, Minoo Javadi, De Whalen, Gretchen Frazer, Karin Whittaker, Olivia Lee (Student nurse), Jen Zhang (student nurse), Colin Dring, Don Mackenzie (Oxfam/Amnesty), Janice Crowe 1. Additions to Agenda: 2a: Migrant Farm Workers rally, 4a: Amnesty International, 5a: Feria Latina- May 2012, 6a: Local farm families Minutes from January 19, 2012...
read moreKeep our water public!
When was the last time you thought about the water that flows through your house and nourishes your family? On Tuesday, April 10th at 7pm in the Chinese Bunkhouse, Brittania Heritage Site, members of the public are asked to join CUPE, Council of Canadians, and the Richmond Food Security Society for the screening of “Water Makes Money”. Communities throughout B.C. and across Canada are facing pressure to privatize their water and wastewater systems.The disastrous consequences of corporate control of such vital resources to run for a...
read moreReal Food Grant Program
Supporting Real Food This year, Hellmann’s is continuing its Real Food Grants Program with a renewed focus on initiatives that encourage families to learn about and experience real food. Hellmann’s is offering $100,000 in Real Food Grants to support initiatives that bring Canadian families and kids together with real food in their communities. Who Can Apply Hellmann’s Real Food Grants will fund projects that take place in Canada from April to November 2012. Our goal is to support programs that connect Canadians and their...
read moreFood Advocate Profile
Our mission at Foodtree is to connect people with where their food comes from. With this in mind we’re highlighting individuals and organizations we think do a fantastic job of contributing, promoting, building, and transforming the food system. We call them Food Advocates. Would you like to participate? Fill out our interview here and we’ll follow up! Today we’re featuring Arzeena Hamir, Coordinator of the Richmond Food Security Society. Tell us about yourself: I’m an Agrologist, which is a fancy term for someone who works in...
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