Increasing Access to Food Amongst Record-high Food Insecurity

Archway Food Bank, in Abbotsford, is no exception to the increasing trend of food insecurity across Canada. British Columbia food banks have experienced a 31% increase in food bank visits since 2019.

Archway Food Bank is seeing more and more households accessing its services every month. Staff and volunteers are working to meet the need through increased hours, expanding satellite locations, and further expanding food distribution and access options.

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Open in Tough Times

April and May have been busy months. Our staff have been hard at work sourcing new food suppliers when the existing suppliers were facing shortages, reconfiguring our distribution centre to ensure physical distancing and setting up additional Food Bank Neighbourhood Satellites with support from United Way. We also partnered with other Archway programs and community organizations to help distribute food to people who need it most – including seniors’ programs, temporary foreign workers and the Abbotsford School District.

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The Beginning of Recovery Starts with Food

(3-Minute Read)
By Rebecca Thuro

We are continuing our conversation about connecting families through Food Bank Satellites. Today, we’re introducing you to another service partner that reaches men who might otherwise go without food.

Meet our friends at the George Schmidt Centre. This is a housing project by BC Housing that includes 30 units of self-contained apartments for men who have gone through recovery and treatment. The men are expected to maintain a clean and sober lifestyle and be employed, looking for work or receiving training or upgrading.

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Meet HillCity

(2 Minute Read)
By Rebecca Thuro

HillCity is the only Food Bank Satellite located on a church property. They take their role seriously. The Abbotsford Food Bank has limited operational hours and we looked specifically for a satellite location that would be able to accommodate after-hours food support. Hill City answered that call.

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Meet Positive Living

(3-minute read)
By Rebecca Thuro

To start the satellite series off right, we are happy to introduce you to Chris. He oversees the Food Bank Satellite at Positive Living. Their programming serves over 200 people with HIV, Viral Hepatitis, TB and Sexually Transmitted Blood Borne Infections. They also have programs for the street entrenched population. Chris has the unique experience of being both a graduate of positive living and knowing the struggles faced by those juggling their sickness and living on a government disability cheque very personally.

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Connecting Family Through Satellites

(4 Minute Read)
By Rebecca Thuro

The question often gets asked: how does someone end up at the Archway Food Bank? Well, it’s not necessarily a straight forward answer. One thing we know for sure, is that everyone deserves access to food, and the ability to feed their family. Our work begins with trying to reduce the barriers that might get in the way.

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