Food Insecurity
Food Insecurity. What is it?
Food Insecurity is the lack of consistent access to healthy, affordable food due to factors such as:
the rising cost of living
housing crisis
low wages
inflation
It is a significant issue, with the demand for Greater Victoria's food banks increasing by over 25% recently, as shown in the BC Food Bank’s Hunger Report. Contributing factors also include economic challenges, food system limitations, and the disproportionate impact on marginalized groups.
“Hunger is a public health emergency in Canada. In British Columbia, the rates of food insecurity have almost doubled since 2019. ”
Food banks are a last resort for many households that are struggling to make ends meet. Canadian food banking is currently facing an unprecedented surge in demand, and BC food banks are struggling to keep up with this unsustainable situation.
Who is hungry and seeking help from food banks?
Almost half are single people
One in five are two-parent families with children
The Poverty Report Cards report shows that almost half of Canadians feel financially worse off compared to the previous year, and 1 in 4 are experiencing food insecurity.
According to a 2024 report from United Way B.C., over 1.1 million British Columbians live in food-insecure households.
To help alleviate food insecurity in the Greater Victoria region, Soroptimist Victoria Westshore have taken significant action to help women and their families. Learn about our work below.
Food Rescue
In partnership with the Food Share Network at the Mustard Seed Church in Victoria, B.C., our food squad makes weekly pickups of rescued food from local grocery stores and farmers.
The Soroptimist team carefully sort the food and provides it to women and families in need. The team decides which of the following four avenues the food will be distributed to.
1.
SIster’s Preserves
The outstanding team behind SIster’s Preserves works throughout the year to pickle and preserve rescued fruit and vegetables.
Starting in the Spring, the team attends local markets to sell, by donation, the preserved goods.
2.
Stella’s Lunches
3 times per year, we cook and host Stella’s Lunches (previously Stella’s Suppers) to bring seniors together for a hot lunch, connection, and to help reduce isolation.
3.
Food Boxes
Community food boxes are assembled for more than 20 families of rescued fresh and frozen food, and we purchase additional perishable goods.
4.
Cooking & Preparing Meals
Our talented and certified Food Squad personnel prepare more than 70 meals per week for seniors facing food insecurity, using the rescued food and purchasing additional food items to create balanced, healthy meals. The meals are frozen, ready for distribution.
In partnership with Better @ Homes Langford and Pacific Centre for Family Services, the seniors in need are identified and distributed.
Our Impact
In 2024, Soroptimist Victoria Westshore rescued
15,152 lbs
of fresh food and turned it into food boxes. fresh meals, preserves, to a value of more than