Vancouver, B.C. – Canucks Sports & Entertainment (CS&E) in partnership with Aramark, Potluck Catering and the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society (GVFBS), hosted a Harvest Dinner for 1400 guests from Vancouver’s downtown eastside and the Canucks Family Education Centre. The Harvest Dinner was hosted at Rogers Arena Sunday, October 14, 2012.

“We were excited for the opportunity to collaborate with Aramark, Potluck Catering and the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society (GVFBS) in this great initiative supporting our community,” said Victor de Bonis, Chief Operating Officer, CS&E and Alternate Governor, NHL. “The event was a success thanks to the generosity of our partners and the many volunteers who gave their support. We are committed to giving back to our local community.”

GVFBS provides food and related assistance to nearly 27,000 people each week in the Greater Vancouver region. Of that 27,000 people, 26% are children and 12% are over 65 years of age. GVFBS also runs a variety of programs including the Downtown Eastside Community Kitchen Project (DECK) and Community Angel Food Runners.

In 2010, the Vancouver Canucks joined every National Hockey League team in partnering with Rock and Wrap It Up! to distribute unused concession food to those in need. As part of this initiative, CS&E began providing the GVFBS with food following each event thanks in large part to Aramark and the Community Angel Food Runners. The Community Angel Food Runners program is the prepared and perishable food recovery program of the GVFBS. Quality food is donated from CS&E as well as restaurants, hotels, cafeterias and schools, then delivered the same day to meal-providing agencies. The program runs seven days a week and saves more than 725,000 lbs. of food which would otherwise be wasted each year.

Each month, GVFBS purchases up to 106,000 lbs. of produce at a cost of more than $44,000 (depending on market price). The GVFBS and food banks across the nation rely on the generosity of individuals and organizations in the community to cover these costs and sustain the needs of those requiring meals.

For more information on how to support the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society please go to www.foodbank.bc.ca.

Special thanks to our donors:

Centennial Foods
Canadian Linen
Rich’s Foodservice
Triple O’s
Vital Link Ice Cream
Sysco Vancouver
Stuyver’s Bakestudio
Van Houtte
International Pacific
Harlan Fairbanks
Coastal Concessions
Shilito’s Grocery Brokers
Freshpoint Food Services
Pepsi
Morton Clarke
SHOWTIME Event & Display
Whistler Water
C2 Imaging
RR Donnelley

About Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society

The Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society (GVFBS) is a non‐profit organization dedicated to providing food and related assistance to those in need. The GVFBS collects and distributes food for nearly 27,000 people weekly through 15 food depots and over 100 community agencies located in Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster and North Vancouver. The GVFBS does not receive government funding and relies on the generosity of individuals and organizations willing to donate funds, food and time. For more information, please visit www.foodbank.bc.ca.