'Foodraiser' packs 1,500 bags for Richmond Food Bank

Employees at a natural foods manufacturing facility in Delta spent part of their Friday packing 1,500 bags for donation to the Richmond Food Bank.

The event at the Que Pasa plant was the latest of parent company Nature's Path's Eat Well Do Good "foodraisers," which have donated more than $2 million worth of food to local schools and food banks since 2009.

"We do this at all our manufacturing facilities and our head office, as well," said Jyoti Stephens, vice president of mission and strategy for Nature's Path.

"We know that people are relying on the food bank now more than ever. I think usage of the food bank in Richmond has increased over 20 per cent in the past year, and so what we're doing is putting together bags of healthy, organic food for families within Richmond who are facing food insecurity."

Food-related charities have told CTV News high levels of inflation have decreased their purchasing power this year, while also stretching household budgets, leading to increased need and decreased donations. 

Stephens said it's important to Nature's Path – which was founded by her father – to give back to the communities in which it operates, and she encouraged anyone who is struggling to take advantage of food banks.

"Families of all types rely on the food bank," she said. "My dad actually relied on the food bank for a time in his life."