Skip to content

Donations for babies drop at Surrey Food Bank

Food bank needs help feeding 180 Surrey babies weekly
7921396_web1_baby3
(Photo: Pexels.com)

SURREY — The Surrey Food Bank is running low on donations to help feed the more than 180 local babies it helps provide for each week.

Though the food bank typically buys its own formula, it’s “very rare” that the organization has to purchase diapers and cereal.

But, due to a lack of donations, they’ve had to do so twice this year already, explained Associate Executive Director Feezah Jaffer.

“This was an added expense we did not anticipate.”

Jaffer said she thinks the drop is more than just the typical “summer lull” in donations.

“Baby donations have been down since Christmas, especially diapers and formula,” she told the Now-Leader. “We have done social media reminders throughout the year, but we still have not seen our baby donations this low before.”

Jaffer said it’s essential to provide good nutrition in the first year of a baby’s life as “this paves the way for healthy growth and development.

“So we strive to ensure that each family is guaranteed a week’s worth of nutrition for their baby,” she added. “As commodities prices rise, it is even harder for families to make ends meet, and with the high price of baby items, families can struggle even more. The Surrey Food Bank is here to help those who are struggling with life’s greatest challenges and we rely on the community to help us achieve this goal.”

amy.reid@surreynowleader.com