Acknowledging that a year has passed since everything changed on March 11th, 2020 is both unpleasant and needed. While we are still grieving many changes, we’ve been given hope that the summer will be different as vaccines continue to roll out.
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by Tracy Rahn (Christmas Bureau Coordinator) and Rebecca Thuro
If there is one thing that connects us all as human beings, it’s the deep desire to be seen. To be known. To feel that we belong. It is, in the simplest terms, the need for connection – this has been especially highlighted in a year where isolation is necessary. I (Tracy Rahn) experienced some of the most profound moments of connection, of empathy and understanding at this year’s Christmas Bureau. I found it peeking out from behind masked faces, passing sets of eyes that we sometimes may not even recognize as our neighbour or old acquaintance.
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Over the last 14 years the Archway Food Bank has depended on the annual Fraser Valley Auto Mall Food Bank Drive to help provide food throughout the holiday season. This year we were overjoyed when a donation of $27,250 was made on Saturday, December 19th.
Read More›At Thanksgiving we shared how the Archway Food Bank is breaking the stereotype and distributing fresh food every day.
When the cost of transportation to and from the Food Bank can cost $12 by taxi, transportation was a barrier to accessing food. Now with home delivery – this means that people like Mary-Margaret can have nutritious food delivered directly to her door.
You can hear directly from Mary-Margaret about the impact that fresh food from the Food Bank has made to her.
by Lucas Driediger
I was first introduced to Tammy earlier this Fall. Although she had used the Food Bank off and on in the past, the pandemic and changed things. With some newly diagnosed health issues, contracting any new sickness has created new challenges.
Thankfully, the combination of her positive attitude, strong demeanor, and community support have helped her get by in this time.
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In dark times like these, it’s stories of hope that lift our spirits. We’d like to introduce you to Kihci Têpakohp Iskotêw Iskwêw (Emily Henry) a current board member at Archway Community Services. She is a Néhiyaw (Cree) person, originally from Ochapowace Band, Saskatchewan and she shares a personal story of how the compassion of strangers made a lifelong impact at Christmas when she was a child.
Her story is one of hope and how its effects can ripple through time.
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From the beginning of the planning process to the eventual cancellation of Toys for Tots Drive Thru, nothing could have prepared us for this year. Planning an event during a pandemic is not for the faint of heart! Knowing that the event was a huge driving force in making Christmas possible for 1,500 children was all the motivation we needed to continue to adjust the plans as guidelines changed. It was this fact that united the volunteers, sponsors, partners, and community.
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With many events cancelled and toy donations down, we need your help more than ever! Giving every family the opportunity to experience the joy of Christmas is the goal of the Abbotsford Archway Christmas Bureau program – will you help to make that happen by donating a toy this year?
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We are so thankful to be able to continue the tradition of kicking off the Holiday season in the true spirit of Christmas at the re-imagined Toys for Tots Drive-Thru – hosted by Clarion Hotel (formerly Quality Hotel) on November 27th from 7:00 am-10:00 am. No one could have predicted how different this year would be. That’s why the return of sponsors, partners and community support and means so much more!
Read More›Cans of soup? Dried goods? Simple meals? Stereotype challenged!
Within the last few years, we’ve done a lot to change the quality of food we provide. With the help of the community, we were able to start the “Fresh Food Recovery” program.
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Reimagining Summer Starfish Packs presented many challenges as we continue to operate within the guidelines of Stage 3 Reopening. From sourcing volunteers to finding adequate storage and sorting space, many unknowns were met by a positive response from a generous community. We are excited to say that despite the challenges, we have officially launched our third year of our Summer Starfish program! This ensures families can receive help all year long, not just during the school year.
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When the government announced that all non-essential businesses were to close, many found themselves laid off from their jobs. In fact, at the Food Bank we had to layoff many vulnerable volunteers to keep them safe while COVID-19 was prevalent in the community. That left the Food Bank with some big volunteer holes to fill! That’s when we met Jess.
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In recent events, we have witnessed an uprising of voices in support of injustice experienced by Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) around the world. Archway Community Services stands with this movement and is prepared to take part in the hard work of standing up against systemic racism. Here is a word from our Executive Director, Rod Santiago with further information on how to get involved and recommended resources for your benefit.
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April and May have been busy months. Our staff have been hard at work sourcing new food suppliers when the existing suppliers were facing shortages, reconfiguring our distribution centre to ensure physical distancing and setting up additional Food Bank Neighbourhood Satellites with support from United Way. We also partnered with other Archway programs and community organizations to help distribute food to people who need it most – including seniors’ programs, temporary foreign workers and the Abbotsford School District.
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What’s happening to Starfish Pack while schools are closed? Although we have been faced with food shortages, proximity limits and so many unknown factors, thanks to our generous community we have a plan to continue feeding hungry students and families.
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In the same way we adapt to the changing seasons throughout the year, Archway Food Bank has had to adapt how we operate given the unpredictable season we’re in. In our attempt to increase guest safety due to growing concerns surrounding the spread of COVID-19, we have had to adapt how we deliver some of our services.
We are taking precautions to keep our guests safe. This includes adapting the amount of people in the building at one time, ensuring the amount of times food is handled is kept to a minimum, increasing sanitation of surfaces and washing hands constantly. COVID-19 is hitting the Food Bank hard. Not only are we operating with limited staff and volunteers, but the demand in service has increased significantly and it’s only the beginning. With decrease in manpower and increase in service demand, we have had to make some tough choices.
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Updated Aug 30
We want to ensure our guests, volunteers, and donors that the team here at the Archway Food Bank is doing our very best to respond as restrictions change and evolve in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our goal is to keep providing access to food for individuals and families, and we’ll adapt and change the way we distribute food to keep people safe. We believe people should not go hungry and that continues to be our mission now more than ever.
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The Food Bank is taking a bite out of the climate crisis. You’ve seen the news headlines and the Netflix specials. Over 40% of food grown or raised in North America is wasted. We want to show how you are making a positive environmental change when you partner with the Food Bank of Abbotsford.
Read More›COVID-19 Update to Canadian Food Bank Network
COVID-19 Information
Misinformation about COVID-19 abounds. We strongly encourage all food bankers to continue to refer to credible sources of information about the spread of COVID-19 as well as guidance on how to respond. These sources include regional public health departments, Health Canada and the World Health Organization.
