Richmond Orchestra & Chorus Fundraiser for the Richmond Food Bank Society

MISSION

The Richmond Orchestra & Chorus Association is a group of dedicated amateur musicians under professional leadership that is committed to musical excellence and building connections through audience engagement, nurturing musical talent and providing community service.

ABOUT THE RICHMOND FOOD BANK SOCIETY:

The Richmond Food Bank is a dynamic hub that connects people, food, and services that are essential to health and well-being – the hallmark of a caring community. The Richmond Food Bank gives healthy and nutritionally-balanced food to more than 2200 people in a typical week, providing Richmond residents with healthy food choices and connecting our clients to services that address the root causes of poverty.

VALUES:

• Respect- We treat everyone with compassion, trust and dignity
• Service- We seek innovative ways to better serve the community by providing safe and healthy food
• Cooperation- We work together with organizations and individuals towards a common goal
• Accountability- We strive to use donations, funds and resources in a transparent, efficient and responsible manner
• Advocacy- We provide an active and respected voice for the most vulnerable in our community

Food Bank Facts

• For every $1 we spend, we collect and distribute about $6 worth of food (based on 2019 data)
• We distribute food five days each week: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays
• We provide grocery distributions in four locations (off-site locations closed temporarily during the COVID-19 emergency)
• We have provided weekly grocery service to Richmond since 1983
• We serve over 2200 people and give out 20 000 lbs of food every week
• 55% of our clients are temporary users, most of whom are suffering through a crisis
• 32% of our clients are children
• 30% could be self-sufficient, but have cost of living concerns
• 15% are long-term users with multiple barriers to employment, including chronic illness, mental health problems, or disabilities
• 4% or less do not have housing
• 230 people volunteer every week; in addition, many groups volunteer with us on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis