History Of Kitimat Food Bank

Submitted by Marjorie Phelps

In the late 50's early 60's Aubrey Creed, The Fire chief of the day and the firemen used to collect used toys and refurbish them for needy children at Christmas. They would repaint Tonka trucks and put new faces and clothes on dolls ( I am sure their wives had a lot to do with that). While delivering toys they discovered there were a couple of families who didn't have a turkey so they also gave out a few turkeys.

When Molly Gordon and her husband Fred came to Kitimat from Kemano in the early 60's Molly immediately got herself involved in the community and recognized the needs of the poor. She started the first Christmas Hamper Delivery and from there, the Kitimat Food Bank was born.

Molly soon had Luella Froess, Sandra Bouchard, Sylvia Mitchell, Mary Ivison, Heidi Howell, Elsa Hoffer and many others helping her out. When Molly's health started to fail, a few of the people I have mentioned started to take on more of the responsibility and when Molly passed away in 1999 they started to look for a more permanent place to house the Food Bank.

Mary Ivison and Heidi Howell trekked the community looking and pleading for a storefront and finally found the perfect location, at Nechako Center. After things deteriorated in Nechako we were on the move again and now we are located at 230 City Centre Mall.

The Food Bank has an executive of 7 people.

Volunteers from 7 churches take turns weekly to fill and give out hampers. However, you do not need to belong to a church to work at the food bank. There are no paid positions.

We are currently filling 150 - 190 hampers per month.

The Food Bank is fully supported by the residents/businesses of Kitimat.

Donate to the Kitimat food bank: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/the-kitimat-food-bank-society/

Information: https://bc.211.ca/agency-details/kitimat-food-bank-society-9491198/