Someone stole a Sources Langley Food Bank van late Thursday night, March 5th, or early Friday morning while it was parked in front of the bank at 20445 62nd Ave.
Sources program manager Jaye Murray said the food bank relies on the van, a 2008 Ford E250, to pick up produce for clients.
Murray said the van is part of the Sources Food Rescue program, where food that would normally be thrown into the landfill is picked up and distributed.
“A lot of nutritious, healthy food is disposed of simply because of a bruise or one item in a bag or box is soft,” Murray explained.
The van isn’t hard to spot, with colourful graphics and the food bank logo.
“It’s fully wrapped.”
Based on what other businesses in the area have told the food bank, the van was gone by 5 a.m. Friday, March 6th, Murray estimated.
“It’s frustrating,” Murray told the Langley Advance Times.
“We use it every week.”
It is the older and smaller of two vans used by the food bank, which means the remaining vehicle, a cube van, will need to cover more ground in the Aldergrove and Langley areas, Murray explained.
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Sources Langley Food Bank has 1,500 registered clients and serves about 600 people a week, 42 per cent of them children, which is an usually high percentage, Murray noted.
Individuals and families who live on a low income in the Langley area (Zero Ave. to the Fraser River, east of 196th St. and west of 276th St.) are eligible.
READ ALSO: Food drive collects enough to supply both Langley food banks into the new year
Sources is a member of Food Banks B.C, and Food Banks Canada, providing community members in need a minimum of two days worth of food per person per week.
Formula and diapers are provided for babies.
It is open to clients Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Donations can be made onsite Monday to Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
More than 500,000 British Columbians experience some level of household food insecurity, according to a provincial government estimate.
Anyone with information about the van’s whereabouts is asked to contact Langley RCMP at 604-532-3200.
dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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