What happens to all the rice?
The reality is that there are many people who live in our own communities who find it necessary to access the food bank on a monthly basis just to have enough to feed their families. Throughout Canada, 3.7 million people struggle with not having enough to eat. In 2004, in the province of BC, approximately 85,000 people received monthly assistance from community food banks…over one half of those were families and children.
The rice stays here.
All of the rice collected through the Rice Raiser will stay in the community it is collected from and will help feed those in need through the local food banks. The Rice Raiser is partnering with Abbotsford Community Services and the Canadian Association of Food Banks, BC Branch.
Rice is welcomed at the Food Banks.
Rice is identified as one of the best food items we can supply the food banks with because it is very nutritious, versatile and has a good shelf life (but it doesn’t stay long on the shelves). Rice is the world’s most consumed food product in the world!
Do we send the rice overseas? No. All the rice that is collected is distributed to local people through the food banks. It is the money that is rasied that is sent to purchase food for people in their country or a neighbouring country. That way, people in need get it quicker, there are no shipping costs involved and their local economy is helped out.