Vancouver Food Runners

Grant Program: Community Grants

Funded by: Ian and Rosemary Mottershead Fund

At Vancouver Food Runners (VFR), we respond to the unfortunate disconnect between the fact that 58% of all the food produced in Canada is wasted or lost, while 1 in 7 households in BC are food insecure. Through our technology, logistics, and volunteer model, we aim to fight hunger and promote sustainability by preventing perfectly healthy food from entering the waste stream – where it can negatively harm the environment – and instead redirect it to organizations operating essential food programs. It is estimated that 6-8% of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions are the result of wasted food, and VFR directly addresses this urgent challenge.

Through partnering with NS Shelter (Lookout Society), Harvest Project, NS Women’s Centre, NS Neighbourhood House, Family Services of the NS, and Capilano Student Union, we were able to ensure that valuable food donations reached the NS community effectively and efficiently. We truly value our partnerships with these amazing NS organizations that support with food distribution.

Out of 420 active VFR volunteers in 2024, 47 lived on the North Shore, and they delivered a remarkable 332,157 pounds of food to nonprofits across the Metro Vancouver region (in-kind value: $1.17 million). Last year, over 20% of all VFR food that was delivered (in pounds) was done by volunteers residing on the North Shore, making the North Shore volunteer community an incredibly active and important part of VFR’s volunteer base. These amazing North Shore volunteers not only helped to deliver food to nonprofits operating essential food programs and comprehensive social services, they created valuable and meaningful community connections along the way between businesses, nonprofits, and the wider public.