MUSQUODOBOIT VALLEY FOOD BANK ASSOCIATION

WE EXIST TO ASSIST THOSE IN THE MUSQUODOBOIT VALLEY AREA WHO ARE LIVING WITH FOOD INSECURITY. WE AIM TO PROVIDE A WEEKS WORTH OF FOOD AT EACH ONCE-A-MONTH VISIT. WE PROVIDE SHELF STABLE ITEMS ALONG WITH FRESH DAIRY EGGS BREAD AND MEAT. WE WELCOMED 92 DIFFERENT SINGLES/FAMILIES (CONSISTING OF 261 FAMILY MEMBERS) THROUGH THE DOORS OF OUR FOOD BANK IN 2024 WITH 463 TOTAL NUMBER OF VISITS. OUR VOLUNTEERS ORDER PICK UP AND SORT THE FOOD ALONG WITH PACKING THE BOXES AND OCCASIONAL DELIVERIES TO FOLKS UNABLE TO GET TO THE FOOD BANK. AT CHRISTMAS WE DISTRIBUTED 64 FOOD HAMPERS AND PROVIDE SOME DONATED AND SOME PURCHASED COATS TO 72 CHILDREN AS WELL AS 89 ANGEL TREE GIFTS DISTRIBUTED.

Thanks to a provincial grant we were able to establish a few new pantries. We set up a personal hygiene cupboard a packed lunch pantry and a baked goods pantry. The hampers that our clients receive monthly are based off of a set list of items our aim with these pantries was to introduce more choice and options into the food bank experience for our clients. Our hygiene cupboard was stocked with all things for personal cleanliness along with laundry detergent and household cleaning supplies; we all know how much these items can consume of a family's budget this really was such a welcomed addition for our families. The packed lunch pantry held healthy lunch items for both children and adults as we recognized that adults too need some good nourishment in the middle of their work day. Our desire with the baked goods pantry was to encourage at home baking we hoped it might be a source of quality time between members of a family or a relaxing new activity for a client. We prepared baking boxes with ingredients for batches of cookies and the like for folks with no baking staples at home and we also offered the basic baking ingredients that may be needed to go along with what they have already. Again we strived to help fill the gaps they have at home of those items that would certainly be passed over at the grocery store as just 'ingredient' items in favor of putting their grocery dollars towards 'food' items. In addition to our pantries we initiated a protein boost project that allowed us to offer our clients a wider variety of good protein options. Fish pork ground beef chicken lentils and legumes additional eggs over our usual offering were all available at different times through the project and to say this was well received would be an understatement.