BLOG The Stories of Us

We here at the Central Okanagan Food Bank (COFB) have experienced a notable evolution in recent years. As we come upon our 40th anniversary this month, we are rolling out a fresh new look that better reflects our current purpose and presence in the community. You may have already seen some of the new colourful trucks driving about town as we have begun to launch our rejuvenated appearance. The need for a more unique, warmer identity in the community that is representative of COFB’s purpose is as important as ever as we continue to grow into a larger and increasingly visible organization.

Food banks in Canada are non-governmental charitable organizations born out of necessity. The first food bank in the country opened its doors in Edmonton in 1981 during an economic recession which pushed the demand for food assistance to the next level of need. Today, food banks remain valuable community assets across all of Canada, with over 2 million visits to food banks across the country in March 2023—a 32% increase from the previous March, according to statistics from Food Banks Canada.

Since our founding in 1984, COFB has seen immense change and growth. Operating from two branches since 2015 with the merger of the Westside Community Food Bank with the Kelowna Community Food Bank, COFB is the largest food aid organization in the Okanagan. Since 2020, COFB has been a major contributor in the region’s emergency response, having developed infrastructure to procure, store, and organize aid at scale, and has managed through five major crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple climate-related emergencies ranging from wildfires to the 2021 atmospheric river. Today, in addition to serving families and individuals daily, COFB supports 32 other food banks and 46 partner agencies throughout the Okanagan and is a designated National Food Sharing System Hub. We also operate several large-scale programs, including our substantial Food Rescue Program and the Food for Thought program, which serves 5,000 meals to students each week across 35 schools in School District 23.

This progression of COFB from a small-town food bank into the dynamic and purposeful food aid organization it is today encapsulates the need for a distinct new brand. For the last nine years, COFB has shared a logo with Food Banks Canada, but in this digital age, we’ve felt it was time to put forth a unique logo to distinguish ourselves and our growth.

While COFB has grown into an important and positive force, providing food aid to families and individuals, member food banks, and partner agencies, much of our work—and the work of all food banks—is a temporary solution to food insecurity, providing short-term support to those in need. Currently, food bank usage is at an all-time high at COFB, where we are now serving over 11,000 individuals each month. Of this number, 44% are children under the age of 15 and 20% are seniors. The rising cost of living in the Okanagan is pushing more members of our community into circumstances where they need assistance from the food bank each month, forcing people to make difficult decisions such as choosing between buying food or paying bills or rent. The largest growing demographic of COFB’s clients are two-parent working households, which have seen a 59% increase in the last 12 months. To maintain our dignified and healthy food assistance, continued support from those who can is imperative—be it time, food, or financial donations.

Looking forward, COFB’s Food Rescue Program and More than Food Program emphasize the importance of community-centered programming beyond strictly food assistance. These initiatives aim to address the complex social issues that contribute to food insecurity.

Our Food Rescue Program is a key pillar of COFB, aiming to reduce regional food waste and promote equitable food distribution. The program collects food from local grocery stores that is fit for consumption but not for sale, redistributing it to our partner organizations and clients. Any food that cannot be put in hampers is down-cycled to livestock feed. This program is a specialty of COFB, with over 3,037,000 pounds of food processed in 2022-23, and we expect those numbers to increase for 2024-25.

The More than Food program provides clients with support beyond direct food aid to address the complex challenges that are related to, but extend beyond, hunger. Launched earlier this year, it includes life skills workshops, individualized coaching, and nutrition education—all aimed at empowering the community. COFB is also putting the finishing touches on a new community kitchen at our Kelowna location, which will serve as a base for the More than Food program and offer a space for community engagement and education.

Reflecting on 40 years of growth and service, we want to highlight those who have made so much possible—our volunteers. It truly takes a village to operate such a diverse and intensive organization, and COFB extends immense gratitude to all who give their time and energy to support those in need. At our West Kelowna branch, we have volunteers who have been helping with food distribution and building community for over 30 years, including one volunteer who dedicates her time five days a week, every week. Building community starts from within, and COFB values the efforts of each and every volunteer.

Look out for our new logo in the coming days and weeks. For more information on the programs mentioned above, see the links in this article or navigate to the menu at the top of this page.

To donate, please follow this link. To volunteer, click here.