The Jewish Food Bank is co-funded by Jewish Women’s International-BC and JFSA as well as many generous donors throughout the community. The physical location of the Jewish Food Bank is at the Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 6184 Ash Street. The Jewish Food Bank is organized and staffed by volunteers.
Approximately 250 people use the Jewish Food Bank every four weeks.Clients are served from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on alternate Thursday mornings. To maintain the privacy of clients, volunteers do not know clients’ names, but use numbered cards, colour coded according to the number of people in the household.
Unlike general food banks, our food bank does not have a “walk in” model. Clients must be Jewish to attend our food bank and must be assessed and placed on the food bank by a JFSA case manager or counsellor.
While we are not a strictly kosher food bank, the Jewish Food Bank does not offer any meats, poultry or their by-products kosher or not — or anything marine that does not have fins or scales, or their by-products. In addition, for those clients who do keep kosher, we ensure that kosher items are available to them. We try as best we can to accommodate other dietary needs of our clients such as low-sodium items, gluten free items and the like.
The Jewish Food Bank operates on a shop model, with clients collecting their own goods according to the size of the household and their wants. Canned, dried foods, fresh eggs, bread and as much fresh produce as the budget and site permit are offered. In the summer the Jewish Food Bank receives organic fresh garden products from an anonymous donor and from The World In A Garden.
The majority of supplies are bought, but we rely heavily on donations in kind for non-basic goods such as: prunes, honey, healthy lunch-box items for children, and other expensive items are greatly appreciated. Donations of toiletries such as soap, shampoo, toilet paper and diapers are greatly appreciated and needed.
Click here for information about becoming a client of the Jewish Food Bank.
Click here to donate to the Jewish Food Bank.
Click here to volunteer at the Jewish Food Bank.
Click here for special Jewish Food Bank programs.
Annica Carlsson
Community Development/Program Coordinator
604.257.5151 ext. 1-230
Annica’s role involves the administration and coordination of the Jewish Food Bank, Project Isaiah (our yearly food drive) and Prison Hampers for Jewish inmates across BC during Rosh Hashanah and Passover. Annica concurrently works for JFSA (2 days a week) and L’Chaim Adult Day Centre at the JCC for 3 days a week. Annica immigrated to Canada from Sweden during the Centennial year. Annica worked for many years in the Health and Fitness field, graduating from George Brown College, Toronto with a Diploma in Adult Fitness. After a 12-year hiatus from Canada, Annica returned to the Vancouver area in 1991 and focused her passion for working with seniors beginning a 10-year tenure at the JCC as Seniors Coordinator. She then moved onto the Louis Brier as Volunteer Coordinator and came to JFSA’s doorstep in 2007 covering a maternity leave for the Home Support Program based out of our Seniors Department. Annica speaks Swedish.
