About the Cause

So why am I sitting at my computer for 24 hours straight and posting all this wonderful content off the top of my head and also submitted by readers? Because I’d like to do something nice. The people I’ve chosen to do something nice for, are those who run and use the Surrey Food Bank. Here’s some more information so that you can know exactly where your money is going, should you choose to sponsor me with a pledge.

In 1981, in response to a downturn in the economy, a coalition of churches opened a food cupboard in Surrey. Two years later, the Surrey Food Bank Society was formed and set up shop in a dilapidated building on King George Highway.

What began as a temporary solution to a temporary problem has grown to a 7,000 sq. ft. warehouse in Whalley, a fleet of three vehicles, 100 active volunteers and a staff core of eight. The Surrey Food Bank Society currently distributes over 56,000 food hampers a year and has expanded support to include many different food security programs, such as Surrey Food Bank’s community kitchen, a community garden, food buying clubs, and cookbooks with low cost nutritious recipes.

After 23 years we have come to the realization that people will always need our help. We like to say we give people a “hand up, not a hand out”. The Surrey Food Bank’s mission is to “Help People Help Themselves”. We do that in a variety of ways but primarily by providing a food hamper designed to supplement a client’s food needs.

WE FEED PEOPLE

We ~ Not just ‘us’, not just ‘you’, the whole community
Feed ~ We nourish with food, dignity, and respect
People ~ Not clients, not numbers or statistics, not ‘the needy’ or ‘those people’; people. [Surrey Food Bank]

The Surrey Food Bank receives no core government funding. They assist about 14,000 people per month from the communities of Surrey and North Delta. 42% of our clients are children and babies.

So far, pledges to my Blogathon cause have totaled $150.59 USD. No, no change has been donated, it’s just that the Blogathon site calculates everything in US dollars and I’ve had pledges in Canadian and actually Euros.

You guys are so amazing, it’s only 6! Hopefully this inspires others to contribute to the Food Bank, or at least do a good deed today. It’s a cloudy overcast day in Vancouver, why not skip that trip to the beach you had originally planned…

Thanks so much everyone! I now have the energy to continue on for 18 more hours, provided this caffeine NEVER wears off.

Blogathon: Post #13