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Emerald Foundation donates nearly $11K to Whistler Community Services Society

Money intended to help manage increased demand at Whistler Food Bank
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The newly relocated Whistler Food Bank is the beneficiary of a $10,550 donation from the Emerald Foundation. Photo courtesy of WCSS / Facebook

The Emerald Foundation has donated $10,550 to the Whistler Community Services Society (WCSS) to help manage the increase in demand at the local food bank.

The money is expected to help fund the purchase of food to fill the shelves at the Whistler Food Bank, operated by WCSS, which relocated from its Nesters Road facility to the Whistler Conference Centre earlier this month.

“Really, it’s the increased amount of use that the food bank has seen and the unknown about how long this is going to go on for. It’s just really important we all do what we can to support the community at this time and that was one way that was a really obvious need,” explained Claire Mozes, executive director of the Whistler Community Foundation (WCF), which launched the Emerald Foundation fund in 2017.

The food bank has seen around a tenfold increase in demand since the COVID-19 pandemic, handing out approximately 550 emergency food bags per week. Additional staff was committed to the expanded food bank by the RMOW, which offered the use of the conference centre at no cost.

The WCSS has also had to contend with the suspension of two major funding sources, in the Re-Use-It and Re-Build-it Centres. “The WCSS has lost their social enterprises right now, so it’s twofold for them,” Mozes noted.

The Emerald Foundation’s donor-advised fund was established as a way to give back to initiatives that support the health and well-being of the community, while remaining anonymous. It most recently supported the Meadow Park Sport Centre cardio room expansion, and has also donated to the Whistler Multicultural Festival, the Whistler Red Cross/Emergency Social Services Disaster Management Volunteer Team, Whistler Search and Rescue Society and WCF’s Emergency Fund since it was founded three years ago.

In this case, members approached the WCF for advice on where the funds were needed most at this challenging time, and WCSS sat at the top of the list.

“We have a great relationship with them and we brought things to the table and they brought things to the table with us to say, ‘Hey, what’s the need right now? What’s really going on?’” Mozes said of the Emerald Foundation.

The WCF's Emergency Fund was established in 2005 to support community non-profits as needs arise.

“We are in close contact with all these organizations … and we can find it what the most pressing need is, and then we take that back to our committee and board and decide how to gift that money,” noted Mozes, who directed interest donors to contribute through Canada Helps (canadahelps.org/en/dn/47564) or by contacting info@whistlerfoundation.com.

“Our board has done a great job just being ready with this fund. Lots of other community foundations didn’t have an emergency fund before this pandemic and it’s hard to get caught up.”

Prepared emergency food bags will be available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday at the conference centre. The food bank can be reached at 604-902-4800.

WCSS Outreach Services are operating from Monday to Saturday and can be accessed remotely at 604-932-0113 or online at mywcss.org.

The WCF is also taking part in the Stay At Home Gala fundraiser in conjunction with other community foundations around Canada on May 2. Tickets are available at trellis.org/stay-at-home-gala-whistler. Anyone interested in sponsorship for the event can email joellettie@gmail.com.