People’s Pantry needs new home as headquarters set to be demolished

For more than three years, the People’s Pantry has helped hundreds of Tri-Cities residents put food on the table each week. But, at the end of January, that work could come to a halt.

“We have to find a new home,” said acting executive director Alice Hale.

The organization has been operating out of the Elks Hall at Leigh Square since 2020. However, Port Coquitlam sold that property as well as two others to a developer for nearly $1.6 million in 2022.

While plans are tentative, the developer is considering a mixed-use property that would have commercial or medical use on the ground floor and residential condos above.

With demolition scheduled for the end of January, the People’s Pantry is forced to vacate, Hale explained.

Hale said she was grateful the developer allowed the food recovery organization to operate for as long as they have.

“They don’t want us to go any sooner than we have to but it’s time,” she said. “But at the end of the month they’re going to begin demolishing the property.”

Each week, the organization’s drivers head to grocery stores across the Tri-Cities to pick up food that would otherwise end up trashed. At Elks Hall, volunteers sort through the food to arrange food hampers for hungry seniors, single-parents, at-risk youth, and anyone else facing food insecurity.

The organization’s model is simple, Hale said.

“Collect food, sort it, distribute it, continue.”

However, finding a 1,500-square foot area with water and power that’s accessible to Tri-Cities residents has been complicated.

The organization’s chair, Port Coquitlam Coun. Glenn Pollock, has been looking for a new space for about 18 months but, so far, to no avail.

“it’s been keeping me up,” Hale said. “Especially as we keep adding new families.”

On Dec. 17, People’s Pantry volunteers handed out Christmas hampers that fed more than 300 Tri-Cities residents – about half of whom were kids, Hale said.

When they started, they were handing out about hampers for about 140 residents.

People’s Pantry added 12 families in December. Another eight families are currently waiting to join, Hale said.

“No one wants to see this discontinued,” Hale said.

Besides feeding hungry people, the People’s Pantry also keeps food out of the landfill, Hale said, noting they recently collected more than 1,000 kilograms of produce in one day.

Approximately 58 percent of food produced in Canada – about 35.5 million tonnes – goes to waste. Once in the landfill, food waste can emit methane.

“Surely there’s . . . someone out there who’s experienced food insecurity and has become quite successful and maybe has a little corner of a commercial space,” she said. “There’s got to be something out there.”