Canfor: feeding the community and fighting food waste

Canfor partnered with the Food Stash Foundation in an admirable initiative to combat food waste and alleviate food insecurity. Through this partnership, Canfor’s dedicated Vancouver Head Office employees spent two days volunteering their time to sort and package rescued surplus food, benefitting families enrolled in the rescued food box program. These packages were delivered to over 100 homes with financial challenges. chronic illnesses or disabilities.

Located in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant community, Food Stash is a registered charity with a dual mission: to prevent good food from going to waste and to provide dignified food access to promote a thriving planet and a healthy community. In Canada 58% of the food, we produce is wasted. Food Stash is steadfast in its pursuit to reduce this number while simultaneously extending vital support to those facing challenges in the community. Their diverse array of programs not only combats food waste but also addresses the mounting issue of food insecurity in Vancouver.

When a scheduled employee lunch needed to be canceled due to an unexpected maintenance issue at the office, Food Stash came to the rescue and Canfor was able to re-route over 100 lunch boxes to their weekly “Rescued Food Market.” Instead of going to waste, the lunch boxes were given out to Food Stash member families at the market.

In a further display of their commitment, Canfor generously contributed $5,000 through their Good Things Come From Trees giving program to support the foundation’s cause. Plus, an additional near $2,000 donation from an office garage sale they hosted for their employees.

Collaboration is key in fostering community, and Canfor understands this well. This partnership not only underscores their dedication to environmental sustainability but also highlights their unwavering commitment to the local community.