The Shelburne Rotary Club was very happy to be able to recently present the Shelburne Food Bank with a cheque for $20,000. The money was raised at the Nutcracker Gala on November 15, 2025. Everyone’s generosity in supporting the Nutcracker Gala to make this donation possible is very much appreciated.
The Shelburne Food Bank is a very important organization in our community, and is 100% volunteer run. The Food Bank started in 1991 and currently serves 265-325 families a month, compared with 42 families in January, 2016. That is an increase of almost eight times, during a period in which the population of Shelburne did not even double.
Ardith Dunlop, who has been involved with the Food Bank since 1993, commented “In 2025, the Food Bank spent $42,000 more than we received in donations. This IS concerning and due to increased costs of food and a decrease in those able to give donations but would be WAY more so if we didn’t have some steady caring supporters, like the Rotary Club of Shelburne. Our deficit has been halved by the fantastic results of the Nutcracker Gala!”
In addition to providing food to residents in need, the Food Bank is a partner in the Backpack Program (providing students with backpacks and lunch kits for back to school) and the Christmas Hamper Program.
With the purchase of the Food Rescue Van (an initiative that the Rotary Club also supported) in 2025, the Food Bank’s food rescue abilities have greatly increased and volunteers are making weekly pickups at No Frills, Foodland, Starbucks and Cob’s Bread and at times from Giant Tiger and Mary Brown’s Chicken.
If you are able to support the Food Bank in any way, there is always a need. Cash donations enable the Food Bank to purchase the items necessary for the hampers that go out to families experiencing food insecurities and to buy and replace fridges and freezers. You can support in any of the following ways: host a food drive, drop off donations in the food bins located at the front of No Frills and Foodland, make an e-transfer to shelburnefoodbank@gmail.com, or to receive a tax receipt you can donate to COMPASS Community Church or Trinity Primrose United Church with Shelburne Food Bank in the memo line.
The Rotary Club of Shelburne is proud to partner with the Food Bank on initiatives to reduce food insecurity in our community.
For more information about the Shelburne Food Bank, go to www.ShelburneFoodBank.ca.
