Beyond the emergency: How to evolve your food bank into a force for change

Looking to change your food bank into a force for change?

We’ve heard from many food banks who want to shift or augment their work to create more impact. We developed this resource to help them discuss the opportunities and challenges that arise when moving from the charity model to one informed by anti-poverty, food justice, and the social determinants of health.

This manual showcases a range of tangible ways food banks are evolving beyond emergency food provision. Many suggestions are low cost, including changing policies or procedures toward healthier food, and getting staff, volunteers, donors, and the public onside in making a shift in thinking. The chapters are framed by the Good Food Principles — a philosophy rooted in health, dignity, and equity that underpins our work at Community Food Centres. The Good Food Principles are shared values that unite the groups who have joined our Good Food Organizations initiative.

Contents

• Taking action from the individual to the systemic
• Believing and investing in the power of good food
• Creating an environment of respect and community leadership
• Meeting people where they’re at
• Aiming high for our organization and our community