The United Way is helping communities including Campbell River better access affordable local food thanks to provincial funding.
Premier David Eby and social development Minister Sheila Malcolmson toured the Laichwiltach Family Life Society yesterday, even doing some prep work in the kitchen to serve the elders lunch. They were visiting to talk about expanding United Way food programs, including the Strathcona Community Food Hub which operates the Hama?elas (ha-ma-ay-las) Community Kitchen.
Ian Baikie, lead volunteer at the community kitchen, says the program helps them serve over 26,000 meals per year.
Madison Stewart, co-ordinator of the Strathcona Community Food Hub, says the program doesn’t just help Campbell River.
“The Strathcona Community Food Hub is forging new pathways for collaboration on a regional scale,” she says. “United Way makes this work possible by hosting reliable yearly funding for co-ordination and offering education on best practices through their monthly ‘community of practice’. Since our first $80,000 of United Way funding in 2021, the Strathcona hub has been able to secure an additional $650,000 to support programming and infrastructure for our community partners.”
Because of inflation and rising food costs, the province is committing $7.5 million to the United Way to expand the food hub program and improve food security around the province.
“Global inflation has hit people hard, and the rising cost of food is especially challenging for people who are struggling on a low income,” says Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. “We’re working with United Way B.C. to strengthen the infrastructure of community food programs, and create more food hubs to help communities, families and people put good food on the table.”
