Local Grocers Launch Island Food Caring Campaign

Island Food Caring Helps Feed Region

VICTORIA, BC – The participation of five local grocers and the generosity of their customers are set to help the 2020 Island Food Caring campaign feed the 50,000 food insecure residents in the capital region.

The five local grocers and the Victoria Foundation have announced the launch of the 2020 Island Food Caring campaign to raise awareness and funds for the Food Rescue Project, an initiative of The Mustard Seed and The Food Share Network. A collaboration of funders, donors, grocery retailers and community organizations committed to a food secure region, the Food Rescue Project recovers and redistributes healthy, fresh food to food insecure communities in the region.

The five participating grocery stores include Country Grocer, Fairway Market, Red Barn Market, The Root Cellar and Thrifty Foods. “The grocery business can be quite competitive, so it’s wonderful to be able to put that aside to come together for this important cause,” said Country Grocer South Island Director Craig Cavin. “It’s immensely humbling and gratifying to have the opportunity to pitch in to help residents in our region who don’t have access to the healthy, fresh foods many of us take for granted. We’re in a position to help. It’s just the right thing to do.”

“We believe that time spent gathered around the table is what connects us as people, families and communities,” said The Root Cellar Co-Owner Daisy Orser. “It is our hope that each and every member of our community, from our children’s classmates to our own neighbours and colleagues, will all have the opportunity for their food experiences to be free of worry about where their next meal will come from.”

The Island Food Caring campaign will run in participating grocery stores throughout the capital region from February 27 – March 22. People can donate at the till or via the program’s website. Funds raised will go to The Mustard Seed and to support the Food Share Network.

“Over the years, this movement to help feed our most vulnerable residents has been growing and growing, and the partnerships and impact we’ve seen as a result are truly inspiring,” said Victoria Foundation CEO Sandra Richardson. “Thanks to the participation of these local grocers and the charities working to make it all happen, we’re in a better position than ever to reach our most food insecure neighbours.”

“Food Recovery is a collaborative effort that continues to strengthen our communities by putting fresh healthy food back into the mouths of our local families,” said Mustard Seed Street Church Senior Director Janiene Boice. “Our continued priorities of waste reduction and food redistribution has had an enormous impact on an incredible number of families since our launch in 2017.”

The partners are happy to welcome the Greater Victoria Rotary Clubs as the campaign’s Volunteer Partner. The Greater Victoria Rotary Clubs have been a long-time supporter of the Food Rescue Project through raising funds and volunteerism.

More information on Island Food Caring can be found at https://islandfoodcaring.ca

See the full media release here.