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Donation Station

What is the Fresh Food Donation Station Program?

The Fresh Food Donation Station is a program of Vancouver Farmers Markets that collects fruits and vegetables, nuts, eggs, and other food items at our farmers markets for distribution to food programs in the community. Partners include inner-city schools, hospices, women’s and seniors’ centres, and neighbourhood food networks.

How do I support the Donation Station? 

Donate items purchased at the market, or give Market Money or monetary donations that can be used to purchase additional items at the end of the market day. With the current Covid-19 modifications at markets. Donations will be taken in by staff and collected by partners at the end of the market day. 

Donation dates for Summer 2021:

Riley Park Farmers Market: May 1, Jun 5, Jul 3, Aug 7, Sep 4, Oct 2.

Donation Station Partners

 

LMRP_fn_logo-1024x570Little Mountain – Riley Park Food Network is the Donation Station partner for Riley Park Farmers Market. The LM-RPNFN receives fresh produce donated at the market once a month to distribute to those in need. Many programs benefit, including:

  • Newcomers Community Kitchen – a weekly multicultural cooking, eating, sharing food program for newcomers to Canada.
  • Syrian Community Kitchen:  – a monthly drop in kitchen for Syrian immigrants that provides an opportunity to cook together, learn more about available produce, socialize and increase English language skills.
  • Exploring New Foods:  – a kitchen workshop that teaches participants how to make a healthy meal, which includes a “take home” bag of food to replicate the meal at home.  Participants to this program include recently settled refugees, and low income seniors and individuals in the community. Exploring New Foods is a pilot project funded by Vancouver Coastal Health.

Please consider donating: fruit, vegetables, canned fish, nuts & eggs

Donation dates for Riley Park Farmers Market: coming soon! 

The Cedar Cottage Food Network Society (CCFN) is the Donation Station Partner for Trout Lake Farmers Market. CCFN an independent, non-profit organization, dedicated to enhancing the health and well-being of all residents of the Kensington-Cedar Cottage neighbourhood. CCFN works to increase access to nutritious, affordable food and provide education on food skills and systems.                                     
Current projects include: Community Food Market (Kensington Community Centre & First Christian Reformed Church),Yard Share Project, Kingcrest Community Garden and Medicine Wheel at Trout Lake.

Donations of fruits and vegetables, nuts, eggs, and other food items, as well as cash donations are gratefully accepted. 

Donation dates for Trout Lake Farmers Market: coming soon! 
The Community Food Pantry  is the Donation Station partner for West End and Kitsilano Farmers Markets. It supports over 3,000 low-income hospital out-patients each week who have difficulty leaving their homes to secure food due to either physical or mental disability. The Community Food Pantry supplies high nutrition, ready-made and/or easy-to-prepare foods. They also use fresh produce to cook home-made meals and provide companionship to lonely seniors suffering from isolation and resulting depression. Read more about this program here.
Donation dates for West End and Kitsilano Farmers Market: coming soon! 

Get Involved

Are you a Vancouver-based community group that would like to participate as a Donation Station partner? If you think your program would be a good fit for one of our markets, email us at info@eatlocal.org

About Vancouver Farmers Markets Community Access Programs

VFM’s Community Access Programs provide increased access to fresh local food, food education and business development for underserved communities, aligning with our mission to promote food equity, support local farmers and agriculture, and create a more inclusive and sustainable local food system for all.