March 30, 2020
UPDATE:
UPDATE: We have implemented a strategy to promote a safer market environment for staff and Quest clients and, as such, all markets will close one hour each day at the end of day to allow staff to thoroughly clean and sanitize the markets. With this in mind, hours of market operations are as follows:
2020 Dundas
Monday, Thursday and Friday: 9:00- 3:15 pm
Tuesday and Wednesday: 9:00- 1:00pm
Saturday: Closed
611 Hastings:
Monday to Friday: 9:00am – 3:15pm
Saturday: 9:00am – 3:15p.m.
Burnaby:
Monday – Friday: 9:00am – 3:15pm
Saturday: Closed
Surrey:
Monday: 9:00a – 3:15pm
Tuesday – Friday: 9:00am – 5:15pm
Saturday: 9:00am – 3:15pm
North Vancouver:
Monday – Friday: 9:00am – 3:15pm
Saturday: 9:00am – 3:15pm
We have also, effective immediately, implemented the temporary banning of client reusable bags. We will be reverting to the use of plastic bags and Quest will not charge for market supplied bags.
As we work hard to maintain social distancing for our clients and staff, effective immediately we have implemented the number of clients in our market at any given time to 5 people. We ask for patience from our clients as we try and promote a safer environment for all.
We are also encouraging that for those of you who are more able bodied and not a high-risk to consider doing your shopping an hour AFTER we open our markets. We will not be enforcing this but we do encourage our elderly clients and those with pre-existing health conditions to arrive at opening and have the first hour to shop. Our markets are thoroughly cleaned each night after close and shopping upon our morning opening allows those most at risk a safer time to shop.
Thank you to our staff and clients for their understanding and patience through this very challenging time.
Uncategorized
2019: The Impact of Our Partnership
Reduce Hunger with Dignity
- 257,817 client visits registered at Quest’s Not-for-Profit Grocery Markets
- $9,825,201 in food donations received from supportive food suppliers
- 250 children in five inner city schools in the Lower Mainland were provided with healthy snacks during the school year
- Volunteers generously donated 10,505 hours to Quest operations
- A quote from a Quest client sums up the impact of donors’ unwavering support:
- Approximately 807 metric tonnes of quality surplus food and products were diverted from landfill sites
- Approximately 712 tonnes of greenhouse gas equivalents prevented from entering our atmosphere
2017: The Impact of our Partnership
2017: The Impact of Our Partnership
- 245,105 client visits registered at Quest’s Not-for-Profit Grocery Markets
- Over $8,273,000 in food donations received from tremendously supportive food suppliers
- Approximately 933 tonnes of quality surplus food and products were diverted from landfill sites
- 250 school children in five inner city schools in the Lower Mainland were provided with healthy snacks during the school year
- Approximately 46 tonnes of greenhouse gas equivalents prevented from entering our atmosphere
- Volunteers generously donated over 10,544 hours to Quest operations
- 1077 families enjoyed a wonderful holiday meal thanks to YVR’s sponsored annual hamper drive
A quote from a Quest client sums up the impact of our partnership in 2017:
“When I first started coming here I felt some shame because I was being offered something- a gift per say- and this felt out of my comfort zone. Very quickly I relaxed and realized that Quest is an amazing resource that has helped me eat healthy every day!” Lana
THE NORTH VANCOUVER QUEST IS READY TO SERVE!
SPREAD THE WORD: QUEST IS HERE!
Great news for our Quest Food Exchange clients and partners, our new Grocery Market location in North Vancouver opened on January 30th!
This is our fifth location and will provide a dignified shopping experience. Like our other Not-For-Profit Grocery Markets, a variety of fresh, frozen, and non-perishables are available at a significantly reduced cost.
Shopping clients:
If you are an individual or family member on income assistance, are underemployed, receiving a pension, or qualify as low-income, we are here to help. The process of becoming a Quest client is simple:
- Approach your caseworker, school counsellor, medical clinic, community resource, or one of Quest’s partnered agencies and ask them to complete a Client Referral Form on your behalf.
- You may then attend our market location, present identification and obtain your card, which is valid for three years. You may also shop at any of our grocery markets.
Not sure if you qualify or have any questions? Contact 604-602-0186 Ext: 109.
Community Resource Partners:
Empower your clients with a dignified and affordable means of accessing food. Operating since 1989, Quest helps thousands of individuals each month in providing for themselves and their families across the lower mainland:
“Quest’s model allows dignified access to a variety of affordable, healthy foods to individuals facing food security challenges. Quest has successfully operated and grown in a number of other Lower Mainland communities for years. North Shore agencies have been referring clients to Quest in East Vancouver for several years now, and a centre on the North Shore makes good sense
-Lynne Henshaw, North Shore Homelessness Taskforce.
To schedule a tour or learn more about Quest, please email ssugrim@questoutreach.org or call 604-602-0186 Ext: 109
Donors, sponsors, and volunteers:
If you are a food provider or community development organization that is interested in supporting Quest, contact our Marketing Supervisor at 604-999-2247 and learn how we can help you to support the community and of the benefits to your organization. Your support means so much to many like Allison:
Quest Food Exchange presented with $100,000 USD Walmart Foundation Grant
Quest Food Exchange was presented with a donation for $100,000 USD at the Richmond, BC Walmart Supercentre grand opening ceremony today.
The grand opening ceremony and cheque presentation took place at Central at Garden City mall, a new development at the corner of Alderbridge Way and Garden City Road in Richmond, BC. The new Walmart Supercentre, located at 9251 Alderbridge Way, officially opened its doors to the community on Thursday, October 27, with doors opening to the public at 8am PST.
Quest Food Exchange Executive Director Elizabeth Lewis-Crudgington welcomed the funding, which will be used to purchase a new 3-ton reefer truck to increase the amount of surplus food the non-profit organization can collect.
“I am pleased to see this genuine continued commitment to improving food security in our communities. With this incredible support from the Walmart Foundation, Quest is now able to increase its fleet and effectively increase its capacity to recover and redistribute surplus quality food to those in need.”
Quest’s fleet of trucks travel throughout the Lower Mainland five days a week, with the capacity to redistribute between 32-40 pallets of quality surplus food daily via an innovative not-for-profit grocery market model. In 2015 alone, Quest redistributed over $8.7 million of surplus food to thousands of clients in need, while eliminating over 620,000 pounds of greenhouse gases from entering the earth’s atmosphere.
The need for access to healthy and affordable food choices is growing within the Lower Mainland, notes Ms. Lewis-Crudgington.
“This past year we had 240,000 registered client visits to our not-for-profit grocery markets, considerably up from about 216,000 visits from the year previous. Support like this from the Walmart Foundation will help us keep up with the growing need for affordable food access in our communities.”
Since 2010, Quest Food Exchange has also had a tremendous working relationship with Walmart Canada. Over the past six years, Walmart Canada has donated over $445,000 of quality, surplus food collected from its various locations throughout the Lower Mainland.
“We partner with local food banks to not only donate food but to strengthen the charitable meal system with investments that enhance cold chain capability in Canada, which enables fresher food to be recovered” said Kathleen McLaughlin, President of Walmart Foundation. “Food insecurity is a major issue for many around the world, and we applaud the great work of Quest and are proud to be part of their efforts.”
Thank you to the Walmart Foundation and Walmart Canada for demonstrating a genuine commitment to improving food security in our communities.
