Upgrades expand capacity to store, process and share good food in local communities

More people in the Columbia Basin will be able to access fresh, nutritious food thanks to new investments that help communities safely store, process and distribute more food locally.

Columbia Basin Trust is helping organizations and communities involved in food recovery and processing strengthen their recovery and distribution work with essential equipment and facility upgrades.

“Communities across the Basin are working hard to make sure fresh, nutritious food reaches the people who need it,” said Justine Cohen, Senior Manager, Special Initiatives for Columbia Basin Trust. “With better equipment and safer storage, organizations can save more good food from going to waste and get it onto the tables of local residents more quickly and reliably.”

The Trust is supporting upgrades such as commercial refrigerators and freezers, food dehydrators, improved shelving and storage, inventory tools and onsite transport equipment. These enhancements increase the capacity, efficiency and safety of local food operations—ensuring more good food can be collected, preserved and shared in communities.

More than $300,000 is being provided to support eight projects.

Below are two examples. See all supported projects below.

Healthy Kimberley

The Healthy Kimberley Food Recovery Depot (pictured above)  increases local food access by recovering wholesome food that might otherwise go to waste and distributing it to community partners. A new freeze dryer and reconfigured freezers and sinks in their sorting area will help improve workflow and safety for volunteers and the people they serve.

“The addition of a freeze dryer gives us another great tool to help serve our community. It means we can turn good food that might otherwise go to waste into nutritious, shelf-stable products—from healthy kids’ snacks to emergency supplies,” said Shannon Grey Duncan, Food Recovery Depot Manager for Healthy Kimberley. “Along with improvements to our inventory systems and facility upgrades to integrate our new commercial kitchen, this funding will help us work more efficiently and contribute to a stronger, more resilient network of food supports here in Kimberley.”

Creston Valley Food Action Coalition

The Creston Valley Food Action Coalition (CVFAC) plays a central role in helping Creston Valley residents access locally grown food through initiatives like the Harvest Share Program and the Creston Valley Farmers’ Market. Two new coolers will prevent spoilage and allow more local, fresh food to be collected, stored and shared.

“Expanding our cold storage capacity allows us to safely store harvested produce longer and distribute more fresh food to our community, our partners, and local school programs,” said Tanya Wall, Executive Director for CVFAC.

“It will strengthen the capacity of our Harvest Share Program to capture and store more produce in the Valley that might otherwise go unharvested, strengthening local food access and expanding our reach across the Kootenays.”

Columbia Basin Trust supports the efforts of the people in the Columbia Basin to strengthen social, economic and environmental well-being. To learn more about the Trust’s programs and initiatives, visit ourtrust.org or call 1-800-505-8998.

Lead image: Healthy Kimberley volunteers will be able to safely store, process and preserve more recovered food thanks to new equipment and inventory systems. Columbia Basin Trust photos

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