Victoria food bank to double aid with new warehouse

The largest food bank on Vancouver Island aimstobroaden its focusfrom emergency food aidtowards long-term solutions in 2017.

Victoria's Mustard Seed has rented a 13,500 square-foot warehouse to launchthe Food Rescue Project.

Starting in January, the warehousewill receive, process and redistribute tonnes of perishable food donated by nine Thrifty Foods stores in the Capital Region.

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"The capacity has never existed in our community before to deal with the abundance of perishable goods that we have available for donation," Mustard Seed Director of Development AllanLingwoodtoldOn the IslandhostGregorCraigie.

Lingwood said the new warehouse space will double the amount of food distributed by the food bank and more than 40 other local agencies in the Food Share Network.

"We'll be distributing about $8 million worth of food and that's going to be fresh perishable foods: fruits, vegetables, dairy products," Lingwoodsaid.

The warehouse on Viewfield Rd. in Esquimalt, B.C. that the Mustard Seed is renting for the Food Rescue Project is owned by the Capital Regional District.

Warehouse rejected as sludge treatment plant

It was purchased by the CRD for a sewage sludge treatment facility but that usewas rejected by the community in 2013.

In addition to the new warehouse operation, the Mustard Seed is launching its own line of coffee in January with support from another local business, Oughtred Coffee & Tea.

Java beans roasted by residents in the recovery program at The Mustard Seed's Hope Farm near Duncan, B.C.will be soldon the shelves of 10 Thrifty Foods storesunder the label "The Mustard Seed Coffee Co."

Lingwood hopes the enterprisewill help the organization reduce its reliance on community donations to support its operations.

The Mustard Seed currently distributes about 2,200 food hampers every month from their current Queens Avenueoffice and small warehouse,which helps to feed about 5,000 people.

Lingwood said an estimated 50,000 people in the Capital Region experiencefood insecurity, which means theycan not afford to adequately feed themselves and their families.

For more stories from Victoria and around Vancouver Island go to CBC Victoria.