Food bank that serves Tahsis is in trouble

 

Nanaimo food bank facing critical financial issue

A Nanaimo food bank facing critical financial issues and running an untenable deficit just to keep going.

Delivery trucks come and go from the Loaves and Fishes warehouse in Nanaimo Wednesday as the food bank keeps up with increasing demand, even as donations of food and money are drastically down.

“Well this is an unprecedented situation that we’re facing now. In 14 years that I’ve been executive director here at Loaves and Fishes we have not seen a situation like we’re facing now,” said executive director Peter Sinclair.

The food bank feeds 3,000 people in Nanaimo and distributes food to another 12,000 around the Island in places like Parksville-Qualicum, Gold River, Tahsis, Port Hardy and the list goes on.

But the food bank is now running an untenable deficit just to keep going.

“We have a rising demand for our services. We have about 100 new individuals registering to receive food bank services every week and donations are down approximately 20 per cent and just as you find grocery prices expensive at the grocery store we are also facing increased prices for food as well,” said Loaves and Fishes Director of Philanthropy and Revenue Generation Melissa Lavoie.

“And so we’re looking at a $35,000 a month deficit and you don’t have to be a math whiz to figure out that that’s not sustainable,” added Sinclair. 

Dan LaRoque was picking up food Wednesday for the Parksville Qualicum Fruit Tree Project which feeds vulnerable people in those communities.

“Well I’m not surprised, there’s an incredible need for food from all walks of life and everybody is kind of hurting and if you’re hurting for food in any way your donations are going to be impacted as well,” he told CHEK News. 

The deficit will affect the Christmas hamper program meaning the extra Christmas food usually provided in December won’t be this year, but the regular hamper program will continue.

Unfortunately the decrease in donations isn’t the only pressing issue at Loaves and Fishes.

What should be exciting times with the construction of a new badly needed 25,000 square foot warehouse is being overshadowed because a $5 million federal government grant promised in late 2024 still hasn’t been received.

“If we don’t get that support we’re looking at taking out a construction loan to ensure this building gets completed and that loan will result in a $30,000 a month mortgage payment,” Sinclair said.

He hopes to get more information on that money next week.