FOOD BANKING IN CANADA
The food bank network in Canada spans from coast to coast to coast, supporting communities in every province and territory.
This network of dedicated community leaders and volunteers works tirelessly to help those in need today and to work toward a Canada where no one goes hungry.
Food banking in Canada is about much more than handing out food to those in need
Throughout the national network, dedicated community leaders and volunteers strive every day to respond to the demand in their communities, offer nutritious and fresh food options, find creative ways to source new high-quality products, and go well beyond food supports to help their clients.
OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
Food Banks Canada’s team works in collaboration with diverse and experienced community leaders within our established network of hunger relief organizations, working in communities from coast to coast to coast, to ensure access to safe and nutritious food for anyone who needs it within Canada, while maintaining the highest levels of safety and dignity for everyone involved.
Every organization within the network upholds Food Banks Canada’s Ethical Food Banking Code, ensuring consistent and respectful service for all. Community leaders and volunteers also complete safe food handling training to ensure they maintain the highest safe food handling standards, and champion the highest standards in the areas of client care, ethics, financial and legal compliance, human resource management, and governance.
This operational excellence throughout the food banking network sets Food Banks Canada apart and ensures that everyone across the country who needs access to nutritional food can feel confident and safe when accessing the supports available to them at our food banks.
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Ethical Food Banking Code
Food Banks Canada believes that everyone in Canada has the right to physical and economic access at all times to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences.In support of this commitment, Food Banks Canada laid out the following Code of Ethics.Food Banks Canada, the provincial associations, and affiliate food banks/programs will:
- Provide food and other assistance to those needing help regardless of race, national or ethnic origin, citizenship, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, income source, age, and mental or physical ability.
- Treat all those who access services with the utmost dignity and respect.Implement best practices in the proper and safe storage and handling of food.Respect the privacy of those served and will maintain the confidentiality of personal information
- Not sell donated food
- Acquire and share food in a spirit of cooperation with other food banks and food programs
- Strive to make the public aware of the existence of hunger and of the factors that contribute to it
- Recognize that food banks are not a viable long-term response to hunger and devote part of their activities to reducing the need for food assistanceRepresent accurately, honestly, and completely their respective mission and activities to the larger community