Realtors and staff from Sutton – Premier Realty were invited to return to the Surrey, B.C. Food Bank after a year of waiting because of COVID-19 restrictions. The team of 10 volunteers delivered cash donations and non-perishable food, then worked a four-hour shift organizing the warehouse and preparing packages for distribution.
One of the volunteers, Realtor Graham Newberry, says he was pleased to discover that the food bank was bigger and better than ever.
“One of the highlights was seeing the food banks’ new warehouse and distribution centre. It has expanded to 24,000 square feet from 8,000. There are new coolers and state-of-the-art systems for storage and distribution.” That ramped-up capacity will help to feed more local families.
“Many food bank users are single parents with two or more kids,” says Newberry. “Those parents are usually fully employed, but with the costs of daycare, housing, food and transportation, their wages fall short of buying enough groceries. Although the food bank can’t feed every family in need for every meal, it is a great supplement to that shortfall and is in great demand in our community.”
He plans to volunteer again, saying: “We all left with a warm heart, smiles, hugs and memories and a keen desire to help again next month.”
