Bowen Islanders have a beautiful tradition of coming together to support one another, and the food bank is a wonderful example of this spirit. Entirely run by donations and volunteers, the food bank provides healthy and nutritious meals to Bowen families year-round, with a commitment to dignity, accessibility, and care.
New to the island and unsure how to access the food bank? It’s self-serve, accessible 24/7, and located in the entryway at the Bowen Island United Church (aka the Little Red Church) at 1122 Miller Road.
We keep it stocked daily with fresh and frozen foods as well as high-quality dry goods. It’s completely anonymous and there for anyone who needs it, no questions asked.
This holiday season, there’s a wonderful way to show your support. On Saturday, December 7 from 10 am to 3 pm The Ruddy is hosting a fabulous fundraiser for the food bank. It promises to be a cozy day filled with warm drinks, raffles, and holiday activities for kids. Bring the family, share in the joy, and help support this essential community service.
For those who can’t attend the event, there’s still an easy way to help. Donations can be made directly via e-transfer to [email protected], and tax receipts for donations over $25 will be emailed.
As we all know, rising food costs have hit everyone hard. This means we have more people using the food bank and we’re spending more to keep it stocked. So your donation will be really impactful!
Just $1 provides breakfast or a light lunch to someone in need, $20 ensures a week’s supply of fresh fruits and vegetables for a family, and $100 can stock the shelves for an entire day.
While financial donations are most useful as they allow us to buy in bulk strategically, we also welcome food donations. Items can be dropped off at any time, as long as they are unopened and not past their best-before date. We’re committed to providing safe, tasty, and nutritious food for everyone who uses the food bank.
As fascinating as it was last Christmas to find a donated spice packet that expired in 1993, dealing with used, expired items takes up a lot of our volunteers’ time.
Speaking of volunteers, allow us to give a HUGE thank you to our wonderful network of reliable volunteers who shop for food, pick up orders, stock daily, and work tirelessly all year to make sure every home on Bowen has access to good food.
A special shoutout to the indomitable Sue Clarke, who is still a driving force in our day-to-day operations after running the food bank for over 20 years. And to the United Church, Reverend Lorraine Ashdown, and the church board members: thank you for everything.
As we enter the season of giving, we’re so grateful for the incredible generosity of Bowen Islanders. Your kindness keeps the food bank thriving, and together, we’re making a real difference in people’s lives. Thank you for keeping us in your hearts, and we look forward to seeing you at The Ruddy on December 7!
