The Sunshine Coast Food Bank is getting a much needed renovation at the hands of some stellar volunteers and community partners who have footed the entire $14,000 bill.
“It’s just fabulous. I’m just kind of awestruck,” said food bank coordinator Dale Sankey.
Made up of two double-wide trailers gifted to the food bank in 1998, the facility was showing some serious wear and tear this year so Sankey started visiting local community groups, asking for help to refurbish it.
“We were just looking at doing a few things. We needed a new floor because it was becoming a dangerous tripping hazard,” Sankey said, noting she hadn’t planned for the kind of renovations the community made possible.
Within a few weeks Sankey had offers of help from both Sechelt Rotary Clubs and a volunteer management consultant who stepped up to organize what would become dozens of groups and businesses that wanted to take part.
On April 9 volunteers got to work stripping the flooring and trim to prepare for the first part of the renovation, which will see new floors, paint, trim, cupboards and shelves put in the main distribution area of the food bank.
The two food storage rooms will also see new flooring and paint and the washroom will be updated and fitted with new fixtures.
The current gas heater will be replaced with new forced air heaters onsite, which will allow for more room in the distribution area.
In the end the entire food bank will be freshened up with new paint inside and out and a new deck and landscaping will be put in as well.
Sankey is incredibly thankful for the support of businesses like Oslon Electric, the Royal Bank and the Credit Union, who are involved in the renovation as well as groups like the Sunshine Coast RCMP and the Sechelt Volunteer Fire Department.
“I can’t even name all of the different groups and businesses involved because there are so many and we’re still getting more offers of help as people hear about what we’re doing,” Sankey said. “In the end we’ll have an event to honour and recognize them all.”
The renovation is expected to take about five weeks to finish as the food bank still needs to be open every Tuesday and Wednesday to serve the public, so volunteers are working mostly on weekends.
Sankey said the work being done by volunteers will help create a “fresh, welcoming and calming space,” for community members that need to access the food bank.
