OUR STORY
The Cortes Island Food Bank started out small in 2002, organized by a single volunteer, Samantha Statton. Two decades later, facing compounding food, housing, and climate crises, it was time to expand. In 2022, the Cortes Island Food Bank Association became a nonprofit society under the charity umbrella of the Southern Cortes Community Association. We are a proud member of Food Banks BC.
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We receive no ongoing government funding and exist solely through the generosity of donations from community members, support from our partners, and applicable grants. We are led by a team of volunteer directors, and are working to expand our capacity and services by adding part time staff positions.
WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO
OUR VISION
OUR MISSION
A hunger-free, food-secure, resilient Cortes Island.
To work diligently and creatively to provide healthy food to those in need. To eliminate hunger, and improve food-security on Cortes Island. To serve the communities of T’oq, Squirrel Cove, Mansons Landing, and Whaletown.
OUR VALUES
Integrity - We are honourable, inclusive, respectful, and trustworthy
Dignity - We see and respect the inherent value and worth of every person
Accountability - We are accountable to those we serve and transparent in our dealings
Collaboration - We share and work collaboratively towards common goals
Equity - We advocate for and believe in equitable access to food for all people
Responsiveness - We adapt and respond appropriately to changing conditions with timeliness, flexibility, and innovation
As a member of Food Banks BC, we are committed to:
Providing food and other assistance to those needing help regardless of race, national or ethnic origin, citizenship, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, income source, age, or mental or physical ability
Treating all those who access services with the utmost dignity and respect
Implementing best practices in the proper and safe storage and handling of food
Respecting the privacy of those served, and maintaining the confidentiality of personal information
Not requiring payment of any kind for donated food or consumer products, at any time, from those assisted by our respective programs
Acquiring and sharing food in a spirit of cooperation with other food banks and food programs
Striving to make the public aware of the existence of hunger, and of the factors that contribute to it
Recognizing that food banks are not a viable long-term response to hunger, and devoting part of our activities to reducing the need for food assistance
Representing accurately, honestly, and completely our mission and activities to the larger community.
OUR GOALS
How we deliver on our mission
We work to bring in all available perishable and non–perishable healthy food to our community, distributing it equitably to those in need.
We collaborate effectively with local and regional partners to improve access, transport, and delivery of food, including collaborating with other food banks, social profits, community organizers, and food producers/retailers where possible.
We offer clear and consistent communication with community members, to ensure that those in need know how to access any food and services available through the Food Bank. We regularly collect feedback from clients and partners to identify gaps in services and possibilities for improvements. We research and implement creative solutions to ease barriers blocking access to food bank services.
We strategize and deliver on hunger-eliminating, resiliency-improving, food security initiatives, including building out infrastructure and capacity.
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We strive to effectively represent the collective interests of those we serve through advocacy, while working innovatively and cooperatively to reduce local and regional food insecurity.
RESPECT POLICY
We provide a safe, welcoming and respectful environment, and ask for the same consideration from our clients in their interactions with our staff and volunteers.
We believe everyone has the right to:
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Be treated with patience, understanding, dignity and respect
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Be treated equitably
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A safe physical and emotional space
Cortes Island Food Bank / Directors
Our directors are residents of Cortes Island who share an awareness of the growing social inequities that plague our culture, and a common passion for recovering and redistributing all available food to our neighbours who need it. We have diverse lived experiences of being hungry and struggling to make ends meet, and this experience informs us on how to do this work with care and commitment, centering the needs of clients.
