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Table 2 Selected characteristics of major food donation distributors in each city a

From: A survey of food bank operations in five Canadian cities

 

Victoria

Edmonton

Toronto

Quebec City

Halifax

Name

Mustard Seed

Edmonton Food Bank

Daily Bread Food Bank

Moisson Quebec

Feed Nova Scotia

Year began

1975/1985b

1981c

1983

1987

1984

Origins & Purpose

Christian charity rooted in Baptist church, to fight hunger and restore faith

Edmonton gleaners association, to reconcile waste with hunger

Sisters of St. Joseph (Catholic Order) and others concerned about impact of growing poverty, to fight to end hunger in Toronto communities

Founder André Mignault, to reduce waste and optimize food aid, and provide alternatives to food banks for people living in poverty

Originally Metro Food Bank Society established by faith and corporate communities to provide emergency food relief in Halifax/Dartmouth; now serving the entire province of Nova Scotia.

Services

The largest food bank on Vancouver island assisting 7,000 people/ month; They operate a food hamper delivery program for 10 individuals, a week day drop in with clothing bank and home starter kits, a family centre offering 2 family dinners each month, budgeting, cooking, literacy and parenting support and help to access city services; They also run a church and a faith-based residential recovery program

Their main service is food recovery and distribution of donated food to ~200 agencies; They have an onsite food bank and conduct centralized telephone intake directing clients to one of 40 food depots for pick up, They also provide referrals to food buying co-ops, bread runs, gardens, kitchen, and inexpensive grocers

They operate 2 food banks; collect and distribute food to ~200 member agencies and provide operational support/ guidelines; offer training programs for food bank recipients (food service and catering) and drop-in and shelter volunteers and cooks; they partner in the operation of a community garden; run a referral and information centre; and conduct research to inform practice and advocacy

They collect and distribute food to 140 organizations; provide operational support to agencies wishing to start “food security projects/ alternative practices” including collective kitchens, community gardens, food buying groups; and conduct workshops for food bank workers and recipients.

They collect and distribute donated food to 150 member agencies in communities across Nova Scotia (food banks, meal programs, soup kitchens, school programs and shelters); operate a telephone help line to deal with distress and to inform about nearest food assistance; They also run a culinary training/ employment program; and collect data for advocacy purposes

  1. aMustard Seed: http://mustardseed.ca/, Edmonton Food Bank: http://edmontonsfoodbank.com/, Daily Bread Food Bank: http://www.dailybread.ca/, Moisson Quebec: http://www.moissonquebec.com/, Feed Nova Scotia: http://www.feednovascotia.ca/. bMustard Seed began as a small church-based mission in 1975 but expanded and moved to a larger site in 1985. cThe Edmonton Food Bank was the first official food bank in Canada.