Making healthy food accessible to those who need it most

Food should be accessible, convenient and nutritious.

That’s the ethos behind The Food Bank of Waterloo Region’s Mobile Pantry program which shifted into gear in March 2021 with the quest of delivering a variety of fresh, frozen and non-perishable food to those in need.

“It travels around the and is accessible at a variety of community centers or other locations throughout Waterloo Region, providing support to people where they live,” Kim Wilhelm, Vice-President of Philanthropy and Partnerships, said of the Mobile Pantry deployed throughout the week and filled with fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy and meat for residents in need.

The Mobile Pantry program is an extension of The Food Bank’s Fresh Approaches Food program that supports Community Food Assistance Network – a system of 100+ community programs and agency partners – ensuring those in vulnerable positions can not only access food but have healthy options.

The program was able to accelerate thanks to a $14,235 Community Grant in 2020 from Waterloo Region Community Foundation (WRCF) which allowed the Mobile Pantry truck – visualize it as one of those food trucks you might see at a festival – to be outfitted with a refrigerator and freezer while also supporting transportation costs.

The Mobile Pantry is perhaps a logical next step in food support in a region long known for its innovations.

“The mobile pantry makes food assistance non-judgmental and program participants don’t have as much shame because the Mobile Pantry brings an inviting community vibe as opposed to the more clinical vibe or going to a building.” -- Mobile Pantry Recipient

“When people think about The Food Bank of Waterloo Region, or food banks in general, there’s this image of a church basement with boxes and cans in it, but we are so much more,” said Wilhelm. “In fact more than 60% of the food distributed last year was fresh or frozen.”

The Mobile Pantry is playing a vital role in providing people with a variety of food that’s in alignment to various dietary and cultural needs. And it comes at a time where needs have never been greater. Last year, 34,620 people accessed emergency food assistance, from programs like community meals, emergency food hamper programs, and community, shelter, residential and outreach programs. These programs are run by organizations like Ray of Hope, House of Friendship, Carizon, Wilmot Family Services and more, as part of the Community Food Assistance Network. The ongoing pandemic, lack of affordable housing, an unstable job market and the rising cost of food have conspired to make it even more difficult for people to afford the necessities and put food on the table.

“We’ve talked a lot about the perfect storm over the last couple of months,” Wilhelm said. “People losing their jobs, increasing rise in cost of food, but also the high cost of rent in the community, in the country, and all of those are contributing factors to those who need food assistance.”

But while food on the table is the end goal, the Mobile Pantry also puts in motion social benefits while in some instances serving as an introduction to other community services and agencies. The Food Bank of Waterloo Region works with more than 100 community programs and agency partners, as part of the Community Food Assistance Network, that handle the distribution causes of the operation.

As for the typical scene when the Mobile Pantry arrives? The truck rolls into what are identified as high-needs neighbourhoods and residents of all ages choose from an assortment of nutritious food. They stick around for the fellowship with neighbours, all the while sharing resources and fostering community development in an informal and welcoming setting.

“I often tell people to think of their own lives and a lot of gatherings revolved around food, whether it’s a family gathering, whether it’s a night out with friends. In those gatherings, there’s food involved, and not everyone has the opportunity to have the same type of gathering. So the Mobile Pantry really is that other opportunity,” Wilhelm said. “It brings friends together. It puts people on the same page. And we know the importance of being around people and the mental health aspect of that.”

She added: “It’s a way for community outreach workers to connect with the vulnerable populations. It allows them a chance to educate people and bring other programs and services to that neighbourhood that may not otherwise be there. So it’s really multi-faceted.”

The COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench into The Food Bank of Waterloo Region’s rollout of the Mobile Pantry program -- the original arrival time of the physical vehicle was delayed – but the plan is to eventually have the pantry on the road five days a week at two locations per day.. That’s dictated by demand, and with 13,957 (one in 20) households receiving emergency food assistance in 2021 (91,660 food hampers were distributed by the Community Food Assistance Network), those needs aren’t likely to lessen any time soon.

It’s with strong community partners such as WRCF that The Food Bank of Waterloo Region continues to serve.

“WRCF really is a staple in the community,” Wilhelm said. “They allow organizations to do innovative things that we may not have the funding for. Really, they open doors that may not already exist. They are great community partners to collaborate with, whether it’s over funding or different ideas -- just to have a great conversation about things that are going on in the community and opportunities that exist. They’re supportive advocates of our work.”

It’s work that never really stops.

“I like how informal and accessible this program is. I like that I don’t have to make an appointment and that there are few barriers. It’s accessible.” -- Mobile Pantry Recipient

“One of our top priorities is to ensure people have access to a variety of fresh, frozen and non-perishable food, when and where they need it,” said The Food Bank of Waterloo Region’s CEO, Wendi Campbell. “The Mobile Pantry removes potential barriers to accessing emergency food assistance through improved distribution and availability of food to neighbourhood programs across Waterloo Region. With support from WRCF, we were able to outfit the Mobile Pantry with refrigerators and freezers ensuring the cold-chain is maintained and food is transported and distributed safely.”

To learn more about The Food Bank of Waterloo Region, visit www.thefoodbank.ca.  

Follow The Food Bank of Waterloo Region on social media, search for @FoodBankWatReg #FeedWR


Note: This story was written prior to Cambridge & North Dumfries Community Foundation and Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation unifying to become Waterloo Region Community Foundation. Although the story was created by KWCF, we have updated the organization name to WRCF throughout the story.

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