Revelstoke food bank gets $6400 from Emergency Food Drive

Volunteers and community members take a group photo at the Community Connections Emergency Food Drive in 2022. Photo by Community Connections Food Bank

2023’s Community Connections Emergency Food Drive wrapped with over 9,000 lbs of food and $6400 in donations for Community Connections Revelstoke Society’s food bank program.

“While we had fewer volunteers compared to last, Revelstoke donated more food and money than last year,” CCRS announced in a press release. Food will be used in food bank hampers for clients accessing the service and money will be used to fund food bank resources and large scale food purchases.

Leading up to the donation drive, CCRS reminded residents that expired food could not be used. Revelstoke heard the news and CCRS reports that less than 500 lbs, roughly 5 per cent of the donated food, was expired.

“Fun fact,” CCRS writes, “the oldest item donated was a 2003 Knorr Soup Mix, labeled all in Spanish!”

225 volunteers joined Revelstoke Emergency Services in collecting donations door to door and sorting the food donations for usage. The partner Pancake Fundraiser event also brought in over $2300 for the CCRS food bank, hosted by the Revelstoke Volunteer Firefighters.

CCRS says the community support and donations arrive during a period of increased need at the food bank.

“As successful as the Food Drive was,” CCRS writes, “we are hoping the donated food gets us to December. Food insecurity and rising cost of living in Revelstoke is ever present.”