Those who run Food Bank on Wheels, which offers home delivery of groceries, say they want access to government funding. To do this, their organization needs to become a member of Food Banks B.C., the province’s food bank umbrella organization.

Under B.C.’s food bank funding model, the province gives money to Food Banks B.C., which then regularly distributes it to its member organizations. Non-member organizations can apply for occasional funding.

“We got denied once and then we tried another time and we also got denied that time, pretty much just because of the fact that they said that there was already another food bank in the area,” said James Silcox, Food Bank on Wheels vice-president.

Specialized service

Brittanie Lawrence, a single mom of two who lives in Port Coquitlam, said that having a food bank deliver groceries to her house is a huge help.

“With my seizures it was really hard. There was times where I couldn’t even walk at all,” said Lawrence.

Food Bank on Wheels, a Christian organization, operates out of a rented basement suite in Pitt Meadows and serves more than 100 families per week. Registered as a charity in 2018, it operates solely through community donations. To receive government funding, it would need to become a member of Food Banks B.C.