‘Huge benefit to us:’ Nanaimo’s Loaves and Fishes gets grant money for new build

He said they’re planning on moving into their new building by the end of June, with promised federal funding filling their coffers earlier this year and taking them across the financial finish line.

Sinclair said the tradespeople are working hard to get the building finished, as they work to develop protocols for their new building to take their existing systems and adapt them to their new facility.

“We also need to look at how all of our different systems integrate with each other. Currently, we have operations in multiple locations that will all be coming together there in one location, and we just need to look at how all of that stuff works together to make sure that it does work together…it’s exciting to be moving out of an old, cramped facility into a brand-new, spacious facility.”

Loaves and Fishes new, 24,000 square foot warehouse facility on East Wellington Rd. also provides 3,500 square feet of office space, serving as the food bank’s new headquarters, with expanded storage for food and loading bays. (Image Credit: Submitted/Loaves and Fishes)

Also announced on Wednesday, April 29, L+F announced a multi-year naming sponsorship with the Hazelwood Group of Companies in support of their Free Food Market program, investing $375,000 over five years.

Loaves and Fishes operates several satellite food depot pick-up services at 11 locations in Nanaimo, as well as Port Hardy, Port McNeill, and Port Alice.

The non-profit agency’s new building will have a year-round free food depot service.

More information on Nanaimo Loaves and Fishes Community Foodbank can be found here at vifoodbank.org.

The RDN’s Zero Waste Recycling Funding program has $300,000 in annual grant funding, available to “support innovative programs that increase diversion through the development of circular economies.”

According to an RDN report, Loaves and Fishes diverts an estimated 341 more tonnes of food this year compared to last year with their new building and equipment.

Last year, they recovered 2,308 tonnes of food, and over 15,000 tonnes since their inception in 2011.

The RDN also provided $100,000 to the Light House Sustainability Society to expand its Building Material Exchange program.

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by Jordan Davidson

‘Huge benefit to us:’ Nanaimo’s Loaves and Fishes gets grant money for new build

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