(Thaiview / Shutterstock.com)
The Food Stash Foundation is a Vancouver-based charity that helps reduce food waste. It recently opened its latest venture, a “Rescued Food Market”. With the cost of food continuing to rise, this shop, reports the CBC, allows its patrons to pay as much or as little as they decide. Payment is not discussed at all, so customers can choose to not pay at all.
The market, explains the Food Stash Foundation’s website, works as a zero-waste grocery store. It is stocked with nutritious food from local Metro Vancouver wholesalers, grocery stores and farms that otherwise would have thrown out the food in the trash.
The shop is open to anyone and everyone, explains Curiocity.com, a platform with engaging content by city and location. People’s income and socio-economic status is not a consideration, and everyone gets to choose which food they want and how much, and if they want to donate.
The Food Stash Foundation is supporting community through food. https://t.co/EVwgnhyhBp
— CBC Vancouver (@CBCVancouver) October 10, 2021
It is evident that the organization deeply cares about the emotional wellbeing of the people it helps. For example, Anna Gray, the communications coordinator of the foundation, explained to CBC that the “pay what you feel” policy allows people the dignity of making their own decisions. The foundation uses the “pay what you feel” phrase instead of “pay what you can” in order to eliminate any shame that might be associated with not being able to afford the items chosen.
The charity rescues more than 30,000 kilograms of food each month, reports CTV Vancouver News, and the market is just one of the ways it brings food to people who need it. The foundation also delivers food boxes to needy families and has its own warehouse and community fridge. And now the market will allow the team to help even more local Vancouver families.
The market is one face of the Food Stash Foundation, a group aiming to both reduce food waste and connect people in need with nutritious food in a an environment that gives them dignity and choice. https://t.co/Xuntv0qCGN #foodsystem #foodphotography #foodie
— foodgisthub (@foodgisthub) October 17, 2021
“It’s such a shame to be throwing all this perfectly good food out when so many can benefit from it,” says founder David Schein. And he’s spot on. According to his website, 58% of food produced in Canada goes to waste! The market, besides its obvious practical benefit, also allows others to learn and educate themselves about food waste and the value of food. And most of all, it helps eliminate the stigma of people not being able to afford the rising costs of food.
The shame associated with not being able to afford basic necessities is real, whether it's food or anything else. And organizations like the Food Stash Foundation are doing something about it, while thoughtfully respecting the feelings of the people they are helping.
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