Christmas 2026 Letter
November 2, 2026
Dear Loyal Donor,
At Christmas, food is tied to so much: a familiar meal, a child's favourite fruit, and the relief of knowing there will be enough for tomorrow. Yet for more households across our region, those ordinary choices are slipping out of reach.
This October, we opened a Free Food Market in Port Alberni, where nearly one in four children lives in poverty. People can choose the food that works for their own households, with the same welcome and dignity offered at our Nanaimo and North Island markets.
The need is rising across our region. Approximately 100 new households register for food support every week. In 2025, Loaves & Fishes Community Food Bank sourced and distributed $12.1 million worth of food, and today even more people are counting on us.
Meeting that need begins here in Nanaimo. Since moving into the Tom Harris Regional Food Centre in August, we can recover more food, sort it more efficiently and send it farther. But a larger building does not fill a single shelf on its own. It takes food, fuel, and people to keep every part of this network moving.
That is why we have set a goal of raising $500,000 this Christmas. Will you make a gift today?
Your gift will help keep Free Food Markets stocked, while moving good food to communities across Vancouver Island and the Coast. It will give people something every household deserves: enough good food, and the dignity of choosing it for themselves.
Thank you for helping a neighbour bring home food, choice and a little more peace this Christmas.
With gratitude,
Peter Sinclair
Executive Director
Loaves & Fishes Community Food Bank
Melissa Lavoie
Director of Philanthropy
Loaves & Fishes Community Food Bank
How is My Donation Used?
100% of donations from this campaign go directly to Loaves & Fishes Community Food Bank on Vancouver Island.
Loaves & Fishes Community Food Bank uses a food recovery model - ensuring that good quality food reaches those who need it, rather than being wasted. With this approach, the food bank can provide more than $5 in good quality food for every $1 of donated funds.
Donations can be made online here or in person at our Nanaimo office at 1861 East Wellington Rd
By e-transfer donate@viloavesandfishes.org For a tax receipt, include your first and last name, email address and mailing address.