Good Food Bank

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Date:

First and Third Wednesdays of the month, 1-4 pm. Check our calendar for the next date.

If these times don’t work for you, please call us at 778-463-5028 to schedule an appointment. Our office hours are Monday – Thursday, 9:00 am-4:00 pm.

We are closed on statutory holidays.

Location:

602 Silica Street
Nelson, BC, V1L 4N1
We’re in the Lower Hall of the Nelson United Church.

The Good Food Bank is market-style, focusing on providing fresh, nutritious food. The market-style allows participants to exercise autonomy, choosing which items they wish to select. Nelson Community Food Centre works to procure food from local farmers as much as possible in the East and West Kootenays. An example selection of Good Food Bank items includes: Potatoes, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, mixed greens, apples, oranges, bananas, farm-fresh eggs, quinoa, and rice.

At Nelson Community Food Centre, we believe that access to healthy food is a human right.

Many in our community lack resources to feed themselves and their families. Asking for help can be difficult, but getting food at our food bank is free, simple, and confidential. The Nelson Community Food Centre Good Food Bank is barrier-free, offering support without requiring proof of need.

If you need to use our service, help us out by bringing your own grocery bags.

People come to us from all walks of life: seniors, families with young children, people with disabilities, and under-employed people making less than a living wage. In 2024, our Good Food Bank supported more than 2,000 individuals, and the numbers continue to rise.

We always provide five choices of fresh produce, plus a variety of protein sources and whole grains, and, during the holiday time, we distribute special, seasonal foods. If you are interested, check out our healthy food policies.

During the Good Food Bank, staff and volunteers serve a light lunch. Program participants are able to have a meal and socialize with other community members in a safe, inclusive environment.

Everyone is welcome.

The Location: Nelson Community Food Centre is located in the lower hall of the Nelson United Church at 602 Silica Street (on the corner of Josephine & Silica). We love the space we rent and have no association with the church’s faith-based aspect—other than as friends, partners, and tenants. Please enter through the main red doors at the corner of the building.

Good food drop PROGRAM

Our Good Food Drop program extends the Good Food Bank to people with medical or physical barriers. It runs every other Tuesday, year-round, and delivers nutrition boxes to those who cannot visit the Good Food Bank. Volunteers pack boxes to match each person’s dietary needs as best we can, then deliver them. External agencies (for example, Interior Health, Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, or community support workers) can apply on someone’s behalf. To access the application: CLICK HERE

No-Cook PROGRAM

The ‘𝗡𝗼-𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺’ was developed through the efforts of the Nelson Committee on Homelessness (NCOH) – a committee established by the Nelson CARES Society to unite organizations in addressing homelessness in the community.

The program was initiated in 2021 to address food security for marginalized individuals precariously housed with limited access to a kitchen or cooking supplies. It has been instrumental in expanding access to low-barrier, ready-to-eat options through partnerships with NCOH, the Nelson Community Food Centre (NCFC), Nelson Community Services – Street Outreach program, ANKORS, and the Temporary Drop-In Centre.

Nelson Community Food Centre’s role within the program is to oversee food production, and our goal is to provide simple, nutritious food items that require minimal to no cooking, such as sandwiches, granola bars, protein drinks, fresh fruit, and soups.

Each week the Nelson Street Outreach team picks up: a HUB Soup box, 40 No Cook Bags, 40 Hume soups, and 150 sandwiches which are distributed between ANKORS, the Temporary Drop-In Centre and the Street Outreach program