KAWARTHA LAKES-Kawartha Lakes Food Source (KLFS)board member Rose Barg has plenty of experience obtaining accreditation so when she heard about a new, national accreditation for food banks she jumped at the chance to use her experience.
“I thought that’s project for me, I’m going to enjoy that.” Barg told a group of media and staff at a press conference on Monday.
Barg currently sits on two accreditation bodies; one that accredits international fire service certification agencies and one that accredits opticianary diploma programs across Canada.
With the help of Barg’s expertise, Kawartha Lakes Food Source successfully met 78 different standards in six sections in Food Banks Canada’s newly established Standards of Excellence to become an early accredited member of Food Banks Canada.
Sections of the Standards of Excellence include Governance & Administration, People Management, Financial & Legal, Client Service & Care, Public Engagement & Fundraising, and Food Operations & Food Safety. FBC’s Standards of Excellence provided KLFS with an opportunity not only to assess operations and make improvements, but also to gain confidence in the organization’s existing efficacy.
“We were proud to find we were already in compliance with 70% of the standards, meaning we only had to create from scratch very few policies to meet the requirements,” says Executive Director Heather Kirby after she and past Board Chair Rose Barg completed the verification process with FBC.
Karen Alebon, Manager of National Standards and Programs for Food Banks Canada says this was a significant undertaking for KLFS.
“On behalf of Food Banks Canada I want to say thank you to all the staff and board members. This is a testament to the teams hard work and dedication to providing clients with the highest quality of service.”
According to Food Banks Canada there are approximately 2 million visits per month to food banks in this country. The numbers have almost doubled in the past five years.
From January 1 to December 31, 2024, KLFS member food banks were visited a total of 16,362 times, serving a total of 2,647 unique individuals throughout the year. Not only did members serve 148 more individuals than they did in 2023, but KLFS also acquired a new member food bank, established this year in Lindsay to meet the growing need.
“Year over year, more people are losing the ability to pay for basic needs, including food and groceries, which is why KLFS is committed to upholding FBC’s standards to ensure member agencies and the community at large can have confidence in the organization to serve the community and treat clients with dignity and respect.” said Kirby.
If you need help with food, click here to find a food bank: https://www.kawarthalakesfoodsource.com/find-a-food-bank
To make a donation click here: https://www.kawarthalakesfoodsource.com/donate-food