OUR STORY
The Columbia Valley Food Bank was incorporated in 2000, and has since been providing access to healthy food for individuals and families from Spillimacheen to Canal Flats. Its main activity is to provide food hampers comprised of approximately 23 lbs. per person, which is intended to provide a 5 to 7 day supply of food. The hampers are based on and customised to the client, ranging in size from individual to 9-person. Clients may access this service once every 30 days, although in exceptional circumstances emergency hampers may be provided.
ABOUT THE FOOD BANK
The CVFB is open for hamper distribution, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 to 2:00pm. If you would like to make a donation that is sensitive to the weather, our donation hours are Monday and Wednesday from 10am to 1pm. Please contact us to arrange a time to meet otherwise at 250-342-0850. We also have a donation drop-box outside our front doors, if appropriate.
The Columbia Valley Food Bank is housed in the new Albert Cooper Building, opened in November of 2019. It is located at 201B 7th Ave., across for the Invermere Community Centre. In January 2023 we hired our first full-time, Executive Director. Otherwise, our services are all provided by volunteers, who in addition to putting the hampers together order and stock food, collect donations from bins in local stores, help at fund-raising events , clean the premises, and sort and shelve food donations when brought in. We presently have a group of approximately 50 volunteers, supplemented by the 7 current members of the Board of Directors who contribute a minimum of 90 volunteer hours per week.
Donate
The Columbia Valley Food Bank is supported primarily by cash and food donations from individuals, visitors, community organizations, churches, service clubs, and businesses in the Valley. Their generosity is what has enabled the Food Bank to continue to provide its service to people in the community whose circumstances dictate the need for additional support to improve their quality of life.