Salvation Army opens foodbank in Vic West

A Salvation Army warehouse in Vic West is shown. (CTV News)

The Salvation Army is expanding its community services, including a foodbank for residents living in Vic West and Esquimalt.

The new facilities will be operated at its Highpoint Community Church location at the corner of Fullerton and Raynor avenues in the Vic West area.

The Salvation Army hopes the new facility will bridge the gap for foodbank services in the region.

"Having this program space available is going to be a game changer for residents in Vic West and Esquimalt," said Salvation Army community ministries director Patrick Humble.

"Families are struggling and new families [and] all demographics are looking for help from the foodbank, especially since COVID," he said.

"It's a growing need, so the foodbank’s been able to support and help families in that way," he added.

In addition to the foodbank, the Salvation Army has partnered with Backpack Buddies to provide a bag of groceries for every child in a registered foodbank program family every Friday.

"It helps get the family through when the children are home a little more and not in school," said Humble.

The Salvation Army has also opened new space for programs and services in a former home on the church property. It plans to start its community outreach programs by offering a coffee drop-in meeting on Tuesday afternoons between from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m.

"We’re going to be learning from the community what’s needed,” said Humble. "We will then grow our program base as we move along."

Humble says the Salvation Army has been operating a foodbank on a small scale for the past three years. He says the agency saw the need to increase its foodbank capacity due to an increase in demand from people in the community.

"We know that the need is great for people living in this community and this has been a good resource," said Humble.

"People are excited to know it is finally here because there’s not many services in Vic West."

The foodbank at the Salvation Army Highpoint Community Church, located at 949 Fullerton Ave., is open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.