The Nourish Foodbank in Quesnel has found a new home after a devastating structure fire destroyed its previous location in May.
The food bank, which operates under the umbrella of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) of Northern BC, plans to restore vital food services for more than 700 households in the area.
CMHA says it hopes the new location will help support individuals impacted by poverty, inflation and the economic downturn following the closure of Quesnel’s pulp and paper mills.
Over the past two months, Nourish has received support from CMHA, community partners and emergency assistance from Food Banks BC. The organization has now relocated to 138 McLean St.
Elaine Laberge, executive director of CMHA of Northern BC, spoke with The Citizen about the benefits of the new site.
"It's bigger, more centralized, and it's going to be easier to get to,” she said. “It needs some renovations, but nothing major. And it's going to really help us increase the number of households we're able to support — as long as we have donations and funding in place. But it truly is a new home that’s only going to require minimal renovations. Within a month, the place will be fully functional.”
Laberge emphasized that community support in Quesnel has been essential in helping bring the food bank back.
“The Quesnel community has been, beyond belief, amazing,” she said. “Their ability to support us getting up and running has only been limited by our lack of proper space. We were running it [Nourish] out of our clinical offices. That space was highly, highly constrained — but it was all we had in the interim. Right after the fire, people were donating appliances, food and cash.”
Nourish is still seeking support from the community in several areas as it finalizes its transition.
“We're looking for food donations, household goods, cash donations, and in-kind support,” said Laberge. “If folks want to come paint or help with flooring — that kind of thing — people who are handy or craftsmen are going to be greatly appreciated.”
Support has also come from Prince George, where the Prince George Nechako Aboriginal Employment and Training Association donated $25,000 to help Nourish recover.
Despite the challenges, Nourish is focused on providing dignity and independence to those who need it most.
“Our focus is still going to be on the monthly food hampers for now,” said Laberge. “It’s going to be on the Hot Meal program. Eventually, we hope to transform the food bank to look more like a grocery store — so people can come in and choose what they need. It's a model that offers more dignity, autonomy and independence.”
She noted the growing need for Nourish’s services and said she’s seen the economic impact of the mill closures firsthand — with former donors now becoming clients.
“We're serving about 700 households a month now, and that number is going to keep increasing,” she said. “I've seen the downturn in the economy. Inflation is so bad. Poverty rates are rising. The working class is becoming the working poor. We know we need to continue to be there, and we’re going to need bigger, stronger, more robust and diversified food bank models than ever before.”
Those interested in supporting Nourish during its transition can donate online at:
https://bcvfd.foodbank.bc.ca/team/supportnourish
