Thanks to a news story, a well-timed email, some simple-to-use technology, and people with very big hearts, I reached 10x my goal. Here’s how:
The first email I read this morning was from my contact at the Greater Vancouver Food Bank: “Not sure if you saw already but Ryan Reynolds just donated to your virtual food drive!” No. I had not seen that. I put down my phone, walked over to my computer and there was the notification email. I’m pretty sure my eyeballs hit the laptop screen and my jaw dropped like a Looney Tunes cartoon.
The Virtual Food Drive is a simple, fun and secure way to fundraise online with your colleagues, friends and family. Invite them to donate or have a virtual shopping experience to support the work of the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.
I signed up right away and the GVFB emailed me to say I was the first person to use the new platform. Upon launch, I received a handful of very helpful contributions from friends and blog readers however, my food drive has sat dormant since the week set it was up. Every few days I promote it on my Twitter account and today was the day that it hit the radar of the benevolent couple.
I sent Ryan a note to thank him for the donation, and to ask permission to share the news about it. He said that he and Blake were happy to help out and spread awareness, and he also made a point to mention how easy it was to make the donation.
It’s incredible to see this chain reaction, and I wonder how many others were inspired by their initial gift of support mid-March. If you would like to keep the momentum going, here’s how you can setup your own Virtual Food Drive — it really is easy!
Create a Virtual Food Drive for the Vancouver Food Bank
Customize your profile photo, banner image, add a paragraph about your fundraiser (they have templates too) and set your fundraising goal.
The Virtual Food Drive is also a fantastic team builder within organizations, driving friendly competition and the desire to do some good. The GVFB said that often companies may match their employees’ donations to instantly double their impact.
When you donate, you can virtually shop for food items
Every single donation is appreciated and can make a huge impact. Remember that for every $1 raised, the GVFB can purchase $3 of local, fresh and healthy food. 100% of the funds raised will be used towards purchasing healthy food to those in need.
If you need any guidance, the team is available to help you out so that your fundraiser can be successful. Follow the Greater Vancouver Food Bank on Facebook and Twitter for more information and community updates.
A HUGE thank you to Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively! And thank you to all who support my charitable initiatives, from simply reading my articles or sharing my posts, to your donations and words of encouragement.
Six Vancouver Farmers Markets are set to open for summer 2020. Deemed an essential service during the COVID-19 pandemic, the 25th season of the markets will open with Trout Lake on Saturday, May 2nd.
Vancouver Farmers Markets Open for Summer 2020
“We had originally planned a series of special events for our 25th anniversary,” says VFM’s interim executive director Laura Smit, who has been with the organization since 2011. “Now the focus is on providing an essential service to the community and helping our farms stay in business.”
The markets will look very different to the community gatherings they were previous to COVID-19. In accordance with BC Public Health Officer Bonnie Henry’s orders, VFM will be food-only for the time being, with no craft, flowers, or non-food nursery items available for purchase; full physical distancing and safety measures will be in place, including limiting shopper capacity inside the markets. There will be no live music or eating on site, and shoppers will be asked to follow the “Shop, don’t stop” protocol in effect at grocery stores and other businesses.
Keeping farmers afloat – and providing the public with the fresh, healthy food it needs during the pandemic – is top of mind for Smit and her team this summer. As restaurants and other food-related businesses remain closed, farmers markets have become the only source of revenue for many growers and small scale food producers.
“The markets are essential right now,” says Chris Billion, a farmer from Lillooet, BC who sells at the Riley Park and Main St. Station markets. “They make up the majority of my annual sales. Without them, I don’t have a business.”
Recent shopper attendance at VFM’s Riley Park winter market attests to the fact that farmers markets are essential to eaters too. Smit, who’s been onsite at the market over the last few weeks, has been heartened by the support of the community.
Photo via Vancouver Farmers Markets on Facebook
“We know Vancouverites love their farmers markets, but I’ve been impressed with the numbers coming out during the pandemic,” she says. “Some folks have told me that the markets are the only place they shop. That’s inspiring us to keep going right now.”
Along with the weekly markets, shoppers can access food from VFM vendors through its new online platform, VFM Online Orders. While VFM is working on implementing centralized pick-up and delivery in the coming weeks, a variety of these options are available through individual vendors on the platform.
“There’s no shortage of local food right now, so we need people to come and shop,” says Smit. “But we ask that people send only one member per household and keep interactions to a minimum while at the markets. We hope to get back to being a place for community connection soon, but for now, it’s all about the food.”
Pints of Midnight Chocolate Sorbetto delivered to my door? Yes, please! After being closed since March 23rd, Uno Gelato is now open for take out and free delivery of their farm-to-cone gelato and vegan sorbetto.
Uno Gelato Offers Free Delivery
Size: Pints (500ml) Price: $12.50+ GST (Minimum 4 pint order, mix and match any flavours) Delivery: Free to most of Metro Vancouver Take Out: From the Kitsilano Shop, Mon-Wed 11:00am to 3:00pm
“After temporarily shutting down due to the COVID-19 crisis, we had incredible interest from our friends and extended families to enjoy a little Uno Gelato indulgence while they’re stuck at home. In the last two weeks we delivered 1,108 pints and we’re thrilled to bring our passionate team back to work,” said Mike Raffan, Managing Partner, Uno Gelato.
“We’ve now expanded this to online ordering for the public and our two Maestros Andrés and Caner are making the gelato and sorbetto daily, with our Operations Manager Paddy delivering the pints personally. We’re so pleasantly overwhelmed by this community support and are hoping that we can bring on more staff.”
Flavour Offerings
Gelato: Lavazza Espresso Mint Chocolate Chip New Fashioned Chocolate Salted Caramel Tahitian Vanilla
Vegan Sorbetto: Mango Tango Midnight Chocolate Passion Fruit Yuzu Lemon
Delivery Schedule
The products are made fresh in small batches, thus orders placed by end of day Monday will be delivered that same week. Orders made on Tuesdays or afterwards will be delivered the following week. Delivery days:
Wednesday – Richmond, Vancouver
Thursday – Burnaby, Delta, New Westminster, Surrey
Friday – Coquitlam, North Shore, Port Moody
For more information, follow Uno Gelato on Facebook.
A daily challenge with a cool reward! CBC Vancouver welcomes all junior scavenger hunters and their adult assistants (parents/guardians) to take part in the CBC Vancouver Digital Scavenger Hunt from April 27 – May 1, 2020.
CBC Vancouver Digital Scavenger Hunt
Solve a daily riddle April 27-May 1 and participate in the daily activity to enter to win. The clues and challenges will be posted on the CBC Vancouver Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.
Once you complete the daily task and figure out the item of the day, let CBC Vancouver know before 5:00pm by sending an email with photo evidence to [email protected], or share your success with them on social media using the hashtag #CBCScavengerHunt.
Follow the directions each day and you could win a special limited edition CBC Vancouver backpack filled with mystery prizes. 100 people will also be given exclusive access to a private online and interactive concert with Will Stroet of Will’s Jams!
Participating every day will increase your chances of winning! Winners will be randomly selected from the week’s entries and revealed on Friday, May 1, 2020.
Cooking classes, concerts, and theatrical performances, there’s a very decent lineup on events happening virtually in Vancouver this weekend. In person, there is a contactless drive-through PPE donation event in Surrey on Saturday as well. Find this and more events below:
