Food Stash Foundation

Join us for an unforgettable evening of incredible food and impact! We're excited to invite you to a Four Course Charity Benefit Dinner in partnership with renowned chefs Mark Brand and Johnny Bridge, who will craft a delicious menu using rescued food that would have otherwise gone to waste. 🗓️ When: December 2nd 📍 Where: 43 W Hastings St (graciously hosted at A Better Life Foundation) ⏰ Time: 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM Enjoy gourmet dishes and pairings while supporting Food Stash Foundation’s mission to reduce food waste, protect the environment, and provide good food to those in need. Proceeds from the evening will help us continue our work to rescue food and share it with the community—because food is too valuable to waste! 🔗 Get your tickets now and indulge in a meaningful dining experience that makes a difference. https://lnkd.in/g9iqGSJH #CharityDinner #RescueFood #ZeroWaste #YVREvents #FoodStashFoundation

Food Stash from a Student Perspective As I approach the end of my Columbia College, Vancouver BC. student placement at Food Stash Foundation, I find myself filled with gratitude for the incredible experience I’ve had. This opportunity has allowed me to apply my digital marketing skills while contributing to a cause that truly matters. During my time here, I’ve had the chance to grow both personally and professionally. The supportive environment has encouraged me to embrace my creativity, learn from my mistakes, and develop my confidence in innovative thinking. The mission and values of Food Stash was relatable, as they prioritize the well-being of the Vancouver community and foster connections with like-minded organizations. My role extended far beyond digital marketing, content creation, and scripting. I was able to leverage these skills to raise awareness about food insecurity and food waste in our city, helping to bridge the gap between surplus food and those who need it most. It’s been incredibly fulfilling to document this journey and see the impact we’ve made. One of the projects I’m particularly excited about before the end of my student placement is our end-of-year fundraising event. Thanks to a generous grant from Columbia College called Co-Lab, I’m working on creating a professional short documentary that highlights the vital partnerships within Food Stash and all those that help fulfill the common goal of food security. I’m proud to have contributed to such a meaningful organization and look forward to carrying these experiences into my future endeavours. Thank you, Food Stash Foundation, for an unforgettable student placement experience! Daniel Ewa #FoodStash #InternshipExperience #DigitalMarketing #FoodInsecurity #CommunityImpact

This week, Food Stash joined the Sustenance Festival 2024 opening night at Heritage Hall. The 2024 theme focuses on centring Indigenous voices as we reimagine our relationship with the land, water, food, and each other. While we recognize and acknowledge the temporary food aid and hunger relief provided through 80+ free/low-cost food programs in Vancouver, a need for immediate action in developing sustainable solutions remains significantly high! As one of the steps towards redressing the profound disruption to First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples’ way of cultural practices, and relations to the land, water and each other, the City of Vancouver, Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, and all involved parties must prioritize Indigenous food sovereignty. Studies have shown over time that folks experiencing food insecurity are at higher risk of social isolation. Panellists at the opening night highlighted this and emphasized the integral role of food in bringing people together, enhancing social connections and building thriving communities. As we join the month-long Sustenance Festival gatherings, we hope for conversations that will look at hunger beyond food accessibility, but also unpack underlying systemic issues that perpetuate food insecurity, as well as how violence towards land, water and each other exacerbates lack of access to good food. #IndigenousFoodSovereignty #FoodSovereignty #FoodJustice #FoodAcess #FoodSecureCommunities #BetterSustainableFoodSystems #ClimateJustice

Our new food rescue truck purchased from Volta Air Technology Inc. replaces an older vehicle that served us well for many years. We're excited that it has electric refrigeration powered by batteries and solar kit, which is a priority for us as we strive to make our refrigeration as environmentally responsible as possible. This truck and refrigeration was made possible by a generous anonymous donor, Dayhu Group of Companies, and matching funds from the City of Vancouver. Local artist Claire Crawford did the beautiful artwork, thanks to Patagonia and Catchafire for connecting us with skilled volunteers who make these projects possible. #truck #mural #solarpower

Join Carla Pellegrini and many other exciting speakers tomorrow at the Connecting Environmental Professional Networking event. You can attend virtually or in person, so get yourself a ticket!

The Time for Action on Food Insecurity is Now. In a country as wealthy as Canada, it's unimaginable that nearly 1 in 4 people experience food insecurity. At Food Stash Foundation, in partnership with Community Food Centres Canada, we see firsthand the stress of millions of our neighbours who worry about their next meal or go without food altogether due to financial strain. Between 2022 and 2023, food insecurity grew by a staggering 26%. This escalating crisis affects almost 9 million Canadians, and it’s time for action. The upcoming 2025 federal budget presents an opportunity to meaningfully address the root causes of food insecurity. Along with Community Food Centres Canada, we're calling on the government to: - Reduce food insecurity by 50% and eliminate severe food insecurity by 2030. - Develop dignified income support programs for adults in food-insecure households. - Expand the Canada Disability Benefit to address food insecurity for all people with disabilities. - Strengthen Employment Insurance and ensure equitable access to federal income and social supports. - Honour and advance Indigenous and Black food sovereignty. We believe that everyone in Canada should be able to afford nourishing, adequate food. It’s time to prioritize systemic solutions that ensure no one in our communities is left hungry. Join us in advocating for change. Visit Community Food Centres Canada for more on how you can take action. Let’s work together to make food security a reality for all. #FoodInsecurity #Budget2025 #FoodAccess #PovertySolutions #DignifiedSupport #FoodSovereignty

Spotlight on Our Founder: David Schein We're proud to celebrate David, the visionary founder of Food Stash Foundation in honour of the year 8 anniversary of this organization! David's journey began as a language teacher at King David High School in Vancouver. In September 2016, he chose to leave the classroom and dedicate himself to rescuing good food that would otherwise go to waste and getting it to our community. David’s passion for reducing food waste led him to create Food Stash Foundation, where he continues to make an impact on our Board of Directors. While he’s returned to his roots in education, his commitment to our mission remains as strong as ever. Thank you, David, for your unwavering dedication to creating a more sustainable and equitable world!

We are present in reflection and stand in solidarity with Indigenous people every day, especially today. Our work touches many different communities and gratefully takes place on the traditional unceded territories of səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations. Today we'd like to take the opportunity to highlight some amazing organizations that we work alongside to get good food to the community: Urban Native Youth Association is centred on supporting Indigenous youth excellence through programs such as sports and rec, housing and learning centres. DUDES Club Society is a community for men's health and wellness. Their clubhouse space got an upgrade to include elements of the longhouse - a traditional Musqueam shed-style house. Lu'ma Native Housing Society is more than housing; they offer a wide variety of initiatives that empower the Indigenous communities of Vancouver through culturally appropriate housing, medical services and programs. We encourage you to learn more about and support their work.

We had the best time at the Modo Member Appreciation event! It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals who are passionate about sustainability and community and watch awesome local artists and performers. As a charity, we've been using Modo for a couple of years now. It initially started as an option for our volunteers to help deliver our Rescued Food Boxes but has evolved into our primary choice for transportation when one of our trucks is out of service for a day. We pick up food from grocery stores seven days a week and have community partners and members who rely on us. Having the option to book a Modo vehicle has been a lifesaver for us. A memorable moment was when our Executive Director, Carla, had to jump in to drive and fill a Modo minivan to the brim (picture evidence below). We want to express our gratitude to the amazing team at Modo for putting on a fun event and for always being there to help us rescue food. Learn more about how Modo can work for your business: https://lnkd.in/edumg8Z4

Today is Equal Pay Day. We are a proud Living Wage Employer, certified by Living Wage for Families BC committed to ensuring that our workers and contractors earn enough to pay the bills and have a decent standard of living. Paying a living wage is a key step in closing gender and racial pay gaps. In BC, women and racialized workers are much less likely to earn a living wage than their counterparts. We have seen real value in paying our staff a living wage. It helps us live our values, improve staff morale and set an example for others. However, over the past few years, as the cost of living has risen, so has the living wage. There is currently an $8 an hour gap between the minimum and the living wage. We have joined with 80 other employers to call on the next government to take decisive action to stop the wage gap from spreading out of control. By lifting wages and lowering costs, we can make it easier for more employers to join us in paying their workers a Living Wage. Read the open letter and sign the petition today:  https://lnkd.in/gGBV_afM   #equalpay #paygaps #closethegap #livingwagebc #bcpoli #bcelection