STRENGTHENING THE NETWORK

With the support of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation, Food Banks Canada distributed 25 HUB grants totaling $2.5 million to help improve the operational efficiency of the food banking network and increase the amount of food that can safely be acquired and distributed.  

Saskatchewan is the world’s largest exporter of lentils, which are an excellent source of plant-based protein and fibre. But when a grain producer in the area made a generous donation of locally grown lentils to the Regina Food Bank, CEO John Bailey says there was a capacity gap between acquiring the raw ingredients and processing them into familiar foods that would be convenient for their clients. 

“There was a gap between receiving a high-quality ingredient and getting it into people’s hands for their use,” Bailey explained. To help close the gap, Food Banks Canada awarded a 2021 HUB grant to the Regina Food Bank so that staff could purchase a commercial steam kettle and prepare nutritious lentil-based meals, such as soups and stews, in bulk.  

With built-in temperature controls that prevent hotspots from happening and create even heat distribution for efficient cooking, Bailey says the kettle has helped the Regina Food Bank improve the operational efficiency of its on-site kitchen and get more food out to people across the city. 

“It’s really jump-started our prepared meal programs and helped us get way more food out to the community,” Bailey said, adding that the kettle has contributed to more than 10,000 meals in the first five months since it was installed. 

“With nearly 10,000 neighbourhood and airport branch offices worldwide, Enterprise Rent-A-Car is committed to promoting long-term growth and prosperity in the communities we serve – all of which face some level of food insecurity. But often, hunger is an issue that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. We are proud to be addressing hunger through our partnership and commitment to Food Banks Canada and making a difference in the communities where our employees live and work.”

– Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation

For the Regional Food Distribution Association (RFDA) in Thunder Bay, time is of the essence as they have a very limited window in which to process fresh food donations. 

Tanner Harris, Food Service Manager of the RFDA explains, “In some cases, it can take up 2 or 3 days for fresh food donations to even reach us. When they finally do arrive, we must first clean, cut, and portion the food before it can be stored away. When all is said and done, we’re looking at about 24 hours from when we receive fresh food donations, to the time it’s all safely stored.” 

“Back in my days as a chef, we used blast chillers. Since they bring food to a low temperature a whole lot quicker than a freezer, it seemed like the perfect solution for use. Yet for the RFDA to purchase the kind of blast chiller we needed; it would come at a cost of over $25,000—money we just didn’t have.” 

That’s when the RFDA decided to apply for a Capacity Boost grant through Food Banks Canada, where The Walmart Foundation provided the funds that made this donation possible. 

“Since purchasing the blast chiller, we’ve been able to reduce our processing time from several hours to just 30 minutes. Plus, the increased capacity means we’re now able to provide fresh foods to even more people in the community, which is a wonderful thing.” 

With those fresh foods, Tanner hopes to inspire people to adopt healthier eating habits.  

“The Walmart Foundation is pleased to support Food Banks Canada to help build capacity with trucks, additional refrigerators, and more space to get good, safe food to families in need. Investment in resources helps strengthen the charitable meal system, making it possible for food banks to accept more food from donors, whether from Walmart or any other business or organization that wants to relieve hunger in Canada.”

– Kathleen McLaughlin, Chief Sustainability Officer and President of the Walmart Foundation

Cargill Limited’s has invested in a Food Literacy & Nutrition Education initiative to equip a network of over 4000 food security organizations with the tools to support food bank users as they improve their nutrition and food literacy skills. 

“We’re humbled to work alongside the Food Banks Canada team to address hunger issues across Canada. We share a similar purpose, to nourish the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way. Together, we can meet today’s food insecurity challenge and improve our food system so that it works for all Canadians.”

– Jeff Vassart, President of Cargill’s Canadian operations