Since FEED NOVA SCOTIA is a distribution centre, we don’t give food directly to individuals, but we will help you find the nearest food bank or meal program and give you all the information you need to get assistance.
FEED NOVA SCOTIA is a registered charitable organization and, as such, the revenues we receive from charitable donations and fundraising events are critical to our ability to fulfil our mission. We receive limited funding from the provincial and municipal government to help offset the costs of the following programs and initiatives: Learning Kitchen, Helpline, summer student placements, and a portion of our building costs when we moved to our Bedford Highway facilities.
How does a food bank or meal program become a member agency of FEED NOVA SCOTIA?
We applaud the efforts of local food banks and meal programs, and we welcome the opportunity to support you in meeting the needs of individuals in your community. If your organization wishes to become a member agency of FEED NOVA SCOTIA, please complete a member agency application form (included as part of our membership kit) and send it to us by fax or mail. You can download the complete membership kit here or call us at 457-1900 to request a copy. Applications are approved based on areas of greatest need and our capacity to support the agency requesting membership.
Where do the food donations come from?
Food comes to us from a variety of sources. The following is a breakdown for the 2010-11 fiscal period:
| Food drives and corporate and individual donations | 23.8.0% |
| Reclaimed food donated by wholesalers/grocers | 20.0% |
| Produce donated by commercial farmers and wholesale grocers | 28.0% |
| Bakery retail | 10.1% |
| Food Banks Canada’s national food sharing system | 7.1% |
| Prepared food donated by hospitals, hotels, etc. | 2.9% |
| Donations collected in grocery store bins | 3.3% |
| Food purchased by FEED NOVA SCOTIA | 1.9% |
| Dairy processor donations | 3.0% |
How much of my donation will actually help hungry people?
The following chart shows a breakdown of how we spend your donations. As you can see, your gift helps pay for various aspects of our operation such as food distribution, client support services and fundraising expenses. No matter which area your money goes to, all of our departments work together to achieve the same goal—to feed hungry people and eliminate chronic hunger and poverty in Nova Scotia.
Does FEED NOVA SCOTIA belong to a national food banking organization?
We are Nova Scotia's member of Food Banks Canada, a national charitable organization that represents the food bank community across the country.
When was FEED NOVA SCOTIA established?
FEED NOVA SCOTIA first opened its doors in 1984 as the Metro Food Bank Society to provide emergency food relief within Halifax/Dartmouth. It was an initiative of the faith and corporate communities. In 2002, at the request of our member agencies, the Metro Food Bank Society became the umbrella organization for food banks across Nova Scotia. In 2005, we officially rebranded as FEED NOVA SCOTIA to reflect our provincial mandate. Today, FEED NOVA SCOTIA distributes food to a network of more than 150 food banks and meal programs across Nova Scotia.
How do we know people who visit food banks really need them?
Different food banks have different ways of processing new applications for client support. At FEED NOVA SCOTIA we are proud to uphold the principles of a code of ethics that state "everyone in Canada has the right to their daily sustenance and an existence which ensures that this condition is possible" and we value the principles of respect and compassion. We feel mandating such things as proof of income and details of legal guardianship are inconsistent with these values. We know that for many people who struggle with food insecurity, it is difficult to ask for help from a food bank or meal program. We believe there has to be a certain level of trust that is built into the client support process. Recognizing that every food bank struggles with this issue, we are currently working with Food Banks Canada to develop a common intake process across the country.
The monthly data we collect from our member agencies suggests there is less than 5% abuse within the food bank system.
