The Cowichan Valley Basket Society

History and Introduction

The Cowichan Valley Basket Society (CVBS), also known as the Duncan Food Bank and Lunch Kitchen, is a registered society in British Columbia and a registered Canadian charity serving people experiencing food insecurity in the Cowichan Valley.

Founding and Early Years

The Cowichan Valley Basket Society was founded in 1988 by a broad group of Cowichan Valley residents who recognized the need for a coordinated community response to hunger and food insecurity in the region.

CVBS began as a grassroots community effort, bringing together individuals, service clubs, local churches, and community partners to support neighbours who were facing difficulty getting enough to eat.

Locations and Growth

The Society’s first premises were on Evans Street in Duncan. Over the years, as community need grew, CVBS moved several times to accommodate expanding services.

In 2001, CVBS settled at its current location on Garden Street in Duncan, which remains the heart of its food bank and lunch programs. In 2015, the Society purchased the Garden Street property, securing a permanent home for its work. In 2022, CVBS also acquired the building next door to further expand operations and help respond to increasing demand.

In 2024, the CVBS Board announced a multi-phase redevelopment of the Garden Street site. This led to the completion of a new lobby in 2025, connecting the two buildings and allowing all services to be provided on the main level.

Plans are now underway for Phase 2, which is expected to include a new food storage building on site, with construction anticipated to begin in 2027.

Services and Programs

CVBS operates as a registered charity governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, many of whom are local community members or are appointed by sustaining organizations.

The Society’s core services include:

• food hamper distribution, including full-choice shopping for people in need;
• hot meals served six days a week in the dining room;
• Sunday Sandwiches, which provides lunches on Sundays and statutory holidays;
• food recovery, which redirects good food to people instead of allowing it to go to waste;
• support for people who are unhoused, including access to meals, food supports, connection, and referral to community services; and
• A Place to Be, a CVBS-operated guest relations and community support program that provides a safe, welcoming space for people who are unhoused, experiencing deep poverty, or needing connection and support.

A Place to Be helps CVBS provide more than food. It creates a place where guests can be welcomed with dignity, build relationships, access basic supports, and connect with other community services. This work reflects CVBS’s commitment to assisting people who are unhoused and responding to the broader impacts of poverty and food insecurity.

Over the decades, CVBS has grown from distributing a small number of hampers each month into one of the Cowichan Valley’s key food security organizations, providing hundreds of hampers and thousands of meals as local need has continued to rise.

Response to Growing Need

As food insecurity, homelessness, poverty, and other complex social challenges have increased in the Cowichan Valley, CVBS has continued to adapt its programs, facilities, and partnerships. The Society works to respond not only to the immediate need for food, but also to the need for safety, connection, dignity, and community.

Community Roots and Support

CVBS welcomes donors, supporters, and volunteers in the shared mission of supporting Cowichan residents experiencing food insecurity. The Society receives limited government funding and relies on the generosity and involvement of the Cowichan Valley community.

CVBS is supported by a dedicated Board of Directors, staff team, and volunteers. The Board provides governance, strategic oversight, and policy direction. Staff manage day-to-day operations, while volunteers play a crucial role in program delivery, community engagement, and welcoming guests.

Community events, local partnerships, food drives, holiday supports, and collaborative programs continue to reflect CVBS’s strong roots in the community.

Our Approach

At CVBS, we are guided by a people-first approach in everything we do. We are committed to treating every person with respect and dignity, without judgment, while ensuring physical, emotional, and food safety remain top priorities.

We believe equity and inclusion should shape our daily practices, and we recognize lived experience as meaningful knowledge that strengthens our understanding and informs our decisions.

We are dedicated stewards of the resources entrusted to us, using them wisely to maximize our impact and maintaining our facilities in a safe and professional manner.

We value collaboration and cooperation, working together as one CVBS team and alongside partners throughout the Cowichan Valley to better serve our community.