SHELVE HUNGER CHALLENGE
Shelve Hunger Challenge is a corporate fundraising and employee engagement program, created to increase awareness of food insecurity and raise funds for Food Banks Canada.
Shelve Hunger Challenge is a corporate fundraising and employee engagement program, created to increase awareness of food insecurity and raise funds for Food Banks Canada.
Why it’s Important
Food Banks Canada HungerCount 2022 reported that there were 1.5 million visits to food banks in March 2022 alone, and one in five respondents shared at least one instance where they were hungry but didn’t eat because there wasn’t enough money for food. Also reported was that one in seven food bank clients are currently employed.
How to Participate
For many people across the country, access to certain types of food is difficult – for example fresh, perishable food can be a luxury. We challenge you to think about your lunch choices with this same lens, as you build your lunch for five days using only shelf-stable food items. This is an activity that can be done while working from home or the office.
Step One – Register
Email shelvehungerchallenge@foodbankscanada.ca and a Food Banks Canada team member will contact you with all the details.
Step Two – Learn
Once officially signed up you will need to designate a Team Captain that will help guide the participants through the challenge. The Captain will receive a Toolkit with program instructions, sample communications, and fundraising ideas to keep their team of participants on track to reaching your fundraising and engagement goals.
Step Three – Share & Fundraise
All participants will receive a Playbook that explains the program and shares samples of social media posts they can use to let people know about the challenge and how to donate to their personal fundraising page.
Although food banks across Canada graciously offer fresh produce, meat, and dairy, some of the easiest and quickest types of food to transport and stock for food banks are shelf-stable items. These high-demand, shelf-stable (sometimes called non-perishable) foods include:
Whole Grains
Include items such as oatmeal, barley, cereals and pasta.
Lean Proteins
Include items such as canned tuna, salmon and beef as well as peanut butter, beans and lentils.
Canned Fruit & Veg
Include items such as canned peaches, pears, oranges, peas, carrots and tomatoes.
Milk Alternatives
Include items such as shelf stable milk, powdered milk and non-dairy alternatives like almond and soy.