Richmond Food Bank Society is now a Living Wage Employer!

The Richmond Food Bank Society is a dynamic hub that provides food assistance, advocacy and related support to community members in need. A dedicated team of 200 active volunteers, supported by 11 staff members engage in various programs such as the grocery distribution and delivery program, school meal program and the food recovery program, to ensure that everyone in our community has access to culturally appropriate, healthy, nutritious food all through the year. 

“We’re delighted that the Richmond Food Bank Society has become a Living Wage Employer. Their commitment to accelerating positive social change is core to the success and impact of the living wage campaign. We hope it encourages other employers to join the Living Wage movement. Paying a living wage is good for workers, employers and the local community” said Anastasia French, Living Wage for Families BC.

By joining the Living Wage for Families BC Campaign, the Richmond Food Bank Society has committed to providing their employees, workers, and contractors a living wage of $24.08 in Metro-Vancouver. The living wage is the hourly amount a family needs to cover basic expenses. The calculation is based off of a two-parent household with two children – the most common family unit in BC – with each parent working full-time. With that being said, the living wage is not exclusive to a family of four. We recognize the difference in costs that a single parent household, a single individual household, and a part-time worker has. We hope to expand our calculations and research soon to be able to bring forth these factors that comprise the BC population.

Living Wage certification is our commitment to fair and equitable wages for all staff members at the food bank. Poor wages are one of the many reasons that force people to access a food bank and we want to ensure that the people that work for us have adequate financial resources to provide for themselves and their families. - Hajira Hussain, the Richmond Food Bank Society

Over the past two years, the number of Living Wage Employers in BC has more than doubled – there are now nearly 400 Living Wage Employers in BC.

Employers have found paying a living wage to be a key tool in their post-Covid economic recovery. 97% of Living Wage Employers in BC have found some benefit to being part of the program.

Certifying as a Living Wage Employer is a voluntary commitment employers make to invest in their communities and local economies.