Starting December 2nd during Celebration of Lights, Esquimalt Parks & Recreation will be supporting efforts to stock local food banks, specifically resources distributed through the Rainbow Kitchen and Esquimalt Neighbourhood House.
Donations are accepted throughout the month of December during regular hours of operation at the Esquimalt Recreation Centre and Archie Browning Sports Centre. Additional opportunities to donate will be made available at numerous festive events. Those taking in the fun of free community events during December are encouraged to bring a non-persishable food item. Events include:
- Sunday, December 2nd (5:00pm to5:30pm) at the Esquimalt Celebration of Lights Parade. Volunteers will be walking along the route to collect items from attendees;
- Sunday, December 2nd at Santa Paws! (2:30pm to 4:00pm) at the Esquimalt Recreation Centre;
- Saturday, December 8th (10:30am-12:30pm) at Photos with Santa at the Esquimalt Recreation Centre;
- Saturday, December 14th (7:30pm to 8:30pm) at the Jolly Jingle Story Mingle at the Esquimalt Recreation Centre and;
- Sunday, December 15th (2:30pm to 4:00pm) at the Skate with Santa at the Archie Browning Sports Centre.
Preferred Items
Below is a recent list from the Kitchen Manager at the Rainbow Kitchen. An important note: only pre-packaged canned goods, not homemade can be accepted. Troy Dunham, Executive Director of the Victoria Rainbow Kitchen Society shares, "It's unfortunate, but it is a reality for us. Easy items like pasta, tomato sauce, rice, canned vegetables, those are definitely what we could use most." Additional suggestions include:
- Canned Tomato Sauce and Variations: Paste, Sauce, Diced, and Whole
- Canned Brown Beans in Tomato Sauce or with Pork
- Canned Black Beans
- Canned Tuna or Salmon
- Dried Pasta: Any type, Lasagna noodles, Macaroni, Rotini, Fusilli, etc.
- Rice: White Long grain, Basmati, Brown Wild, or Instant.
- Kraft Dinner
- Canned soups Any Type: Tomato, Chicken Noodle, Mushroom, etc.
- Canned Peas, Mushrooms, Corn, Cream Corn, etc,
- Bagged Teas
- Canned Fruit, Any type: Pineapple, Apples, Peaches, Cherries, Oranges, Pears and Fruit cocktail
- Canned Coffee (no name brand)
- Bobs Red Mill Protein Substitute
- Jello Powder Mix, any flavor
- Jello Pudding Mix, Choclate, Vanilla, Stawberry, etc.
- Spices: Oregano, Basil, Chili Powder, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder,Papirika, and Italian Seasoning.
To learn more about the Rainbow Kitchen Society or the Esquimalt Neighbourhood House, please visit their website:
- Rainbow Kitchen: www.rainbowkitchen.ca
- Esquimalt Neighbourhood House: www.enh.bc.ca