City of North Vancouver Mayor Linda Buchanan is undefeated (in politics and fundraising for the food bank).
For the last three years, the Greater Vancouver Food Bank has signed up local mayors in a friendly competition to see who can raise the most donations for the non-profit organization on a per-capita basis.
After going through their personal and corporate rolodexes, the mayors of the City of North Vancouver, City of Burnaby, City of Vancouver, District of West Vancouver and City of Vancouver brought in a combined $250,000 over the last month.
Buchanan topped the list, raising $0.68 per constituent for a total of $39,380.
In a release, Buchanan said the real winners are those who’ll have their basic nutritional needs met through their local food bank.
“Over the past year everyone has felt heightened financial pressures. I am so grateful to my mayoral colleagues for participating in this year’s Food Bank Challenge and to everyone who donated. I am incredibly proud that the City of North Vancouver has raised the most per capita,” she said. “Food security is such an important topic. I want to thank everyone in the community and the many businesses who answered the call this year. You are advancing us as an even more caring and inclusive city.”
This is Buchanan’s third consecutive win in the contest.
Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley, however, gets credit for single-handedly wrangling almost half of the total value of the donations received.
The full results are as follows:
1. City of North Vancouver Mayor Linda Buchanan: $39,380 for $0.68 per capita (58,120 pop.)
2. City of New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone: $51,678.42 for $0.65 per capita (78,916 pop.)
3. City of Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley: $125,313.35 for $0.50 per capita (249,125 pop.)
4. District of West Vancouver Mark Sager: $14,200 for $0.32 per capita (44,122 pop.)
5. City of Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim: $19,599 for $0.03 per capita (662,248 pop.)
The $250,000 for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank’s coffers comes at a time when previously unthinkable numbers of people are registering to get their tummies filled each month: 16,500-plus clients. With the rising cost of living lately, that number has been pushing higher by 800 to 1,000 clients per month.
“The Mayors Food Bank Challenge is an excellent example of what we can accomplish when we come together to tackle food insecurity,” said Food Bank CEO, David Long. “This money helps us continue to buy healthy food for the record-breaking number of clients and community agencies we are serving weekly and bringing awareness to this increased need.”
To donate to the agency, visit foodbank.bc.ca/ways-to-give/
