Claire MacLean CEO of Share Family and Community Services says that whether it's their food bank, counseling programs, child and youth programs, seniors programs, or any of the other programs that they offer to the community, the need has only been increasing for the services they offer. 

Geoff Scott – Local Journalism Initiative

Coming out of the COVID pandemic Claire feels that many people in our community are still recovering from the disruptions to employment support, finances, and social networks, that the pandemic created. Those who may have struggled with vulnerability but been able to get by in the past are no longer able to make ends meet. Add to that our housing crisis, tainted drugs crisis, and problems with health care and our normal support networks have become overwhelmed.

While the Share Food Bank is always looking for donations of food, Claire also stressed the need for monetary donations which they can stretch much further with matching funding and the advantage of making purchases in bulk.

The Share food bank located in Port Moody offers a wide variety of fruits and vegetables as well as culturally appropriate panty staples such as pasta , lentils, and rice, with their goal being to meet the cultural and dietary needs of the wide variety of cultures that live here in the Tri-Cities. Staff and volunteers on site at the food bank speak numerous languages so that residents who do not have English as their first language can be greeted and learn about their operations in a welcoming manner.

For families with children under one year of age the Share foodbank also offers formula and diapers which can be an incredible expense for a young family and have been very difficult to source at times since the COVID epidemic.

Quite often the Share foodbank is the first point of connection where they meet folks with greater needs. Requiting help with dietary needs is usually a symptom of a greater need, be it help with finding housing, employment or struggling with anxiety. The foodbank serves as an vehicle to direct folks in need to these other services that are offered by Share Family and Community Services.

Share has also recently been working closely with the Health Authority and their other community partners to open a Tri-Cities Foundry facility that will service the needs of youth and their families here in the Tri-Cities. On site will be medical care, counseling services, peer to peer support, as well as a range of other social services and supports. Right now the plan is to open this much needed facility before the end of the year.