Building for the Future
Today, the Cowichan Valley Basket Society (CVBS) is unveiling a plan to expand its
facilities to meet growing community needs of those experiencing food insecurity.
20% of our Cowichan families are experiencing food insecurity
Thank you to these donors who helped reach the goal
Building for the Future Update — July 2026
Planning is moving ahead for a new food security warehouse and support facility. The proposed 4,900-square-foot building will provide much-needed space to receive, sort, store, and distribute donated and recovered food.
Design and engineering work is nearing completion, and we will be applying for building permits soon.
The new building will provide additional cooler and freezer space, improve working conditions for staff and volunteers, and free up space in our current building for guest services and programs, including A Place to Be.
CVBS has raised more than $600,000 toward this multi-phase project and has already invested in renovations, design, engineering, and pre-construction work. We are continuing to seek government grants and community support to fund the remaining project costs.
This will be a basic, practical building designed to help CVBS serve the growing number of individuals and families experiencing food insecurity today and well into the future.
Please consider supporting the Building for the Future fund. Every donation will help move this important project forward.
May 2026
Building for the Future Project Update
The Building for the Future project continues to move forward as CVBS works to increase our capacity to serve the growing needs of the Cowichan Valley. The fund has now surpassed $608,000 toward the $1,000,000 goal, thanks to the generous support of donors, community partners, and local organizations.
The architect and engineering teams are now finishing the design work for the new warehouse and preparing the plans for the building and development permit process. This is an important step toward Phase 2 of the project and brings us closer to creating the additional space needed for food recovery, sorting, storage, and hamper service.
The new warehouse will help improve the way food moves through CVBS, from recovery and receiving to sorting, storage, and distribution. It will also help reduce pressure on our current building, improve workflow for staff and volunteers, and allow us to serve guests with greater efficiency and dignity.
As demand for food support continues to grow, this project is becoming increasingly important. Building for the Future will help CVBS strengthen its long-term ability to respond to hunger in the Cowichan Valley and continue providing practical care to individuals and families who need support.
October 29, 2025
CVBS expresses deep gratitude to the Cowichan Community. Thanks to recent donations, the Building for the Future fund has exceeded $607,000. Design work for the second phase is progressing well, and we hope to commence construction in the fall of 2026.
If you’re interested in contributing to the fund or would like to schedule a tour of the first phase, please reach out to Henry Wikkerink, the Executive Director of CVBS. Donations can be made online or if you would like to take advantage of a donation of securities or mutual funds please email Henry at henry@cvbs.ca
Image of new lobby and entrance. Temporary location of the hamper registration center.
August 20, 2025
The Cowichan Valley Basket Society expresses gratitude for the recent pledge and donations from a long-time supporter of the Duncan Food Bank and Lunch Kitchen, bringing the total commitment for the renovation project to $597,500. CVBS continues to progress with design work on the warehouse located at the back of the property.
This latest donation and pledge bring us closer to our goal of creating a new space for sorting and storing both non-perishable and perishable food items for distribution.
We kindly invite you to make a donation to the Building for the Future Fund.
Donations and Pledges for the Building to the future fund
October 29, 2025
CVBS expresses deep gratitude to the Cowichan Community. Thanks to recent donations, the Building for the Future fund has exceeded $607,000. Design work for the second phase is progressing well, and we hope to commence construction in the fall of 2026.
If you’re interested in contributing to the fund or would like to schedule a tour of the first phase, please reach out to Henry Wikkerink, the Executive Director of CVBS. Donations can be made online or if you would like to take advantage of a donation of Securities or Mutual funds please email Henry at henry@cvbs.ca
August 20, 2025
The Cowichan Valley Basket Society expresses gratitude for the recent pledge and donations from a long-time supporter of the Duncan Food Bank and Lunch Kitchen, bringing the total commitment for the renovation project to $597,500. CVBS continues to progress with design work on the warehouse located at the back of the property.
This latest donation and pledge bring us closer to our goal of creating a new space for sorting and storing both non-perishable and perishable food items for distribution.
We kindly invite you to make a donation to the Building for the Future Fund.
Donations and Pledges to the Building for the future fund
August 1, 2025:
Progress is well underway to completing the phase one reno joining the two buildings with a new lobby at the CVBS site
May 29, 2025:
Thanks to the generous support of our donors, Phase One is progressing smoothly and is expected to be completed by early July.
April 30, 2025 - Press Release
The Cowichan Valley Basket Society (CVBS) is thrilled to announce the official groundbreaking of Phase 1 in a highly anticipated two-phase facility and site redevelopment. A ceremonial event was held on April 30th at the current location, marking a significant achievement in the Society’s dedication to expanding its services and addressing the growing food insecurity challenges faced by the community.
Local dignitaries, community partners, and supporters joined CVBS board members, staff, and volunteers to celebrate the commencement of construction. Phase 1 will introduce a new lobby that will connect the two separate buildings on Garden Street, enhancing our ability to assist individuals and families facing food insecurity in the Cowichan Valley.
Press Release June 5th, 2024 Link to plan Link to Press Release
The Cowichan Valley Basket Society (CVBS) was started in 1988 by a broadly based group of Cowichan Valley residents who saw a great need for a coordinated answer to hunger in the area.
With the valuable support of the community and the dedicated work of staff and volunteers, the CVBS has served the Cowichan Valley for 36 years. The society has moved several times over the years and have been settled at its current location on Garden Street since 2001. Because of the ever increasing need, in 2022, the CVBS purchased the land and building next door in order to expand services. A section of the neighbouring building is dedicated to assisting our guests with modified full-choice food selection and the main site's basement is used to assemble the hampers. The main floor of the original building is used as a kitchen and dining room to serve hot meals 6 days a week as well as office space for the management of the CVBS. Sunday Sandwiches provide lunch on Sunday and Holidays.
Recent reports show that over 20% of families in our community are experiencing food insecurity, leading to a 200% rise in monthly hamper distributions in the Cowichan Valley over the last 18 months. In May, CVBS distributed 570 hampers, supporting over 1,200 individuals with food worth more than $82,000, and serving an average of 190 hot meals daily in the dining room.
Despite maximizing the current space it has become evident that we need to do more in order to address the every increasing demand.
Today, we unveil a comprehensive plan to meet the growing community needs while assisting those seeking relief from food insecurity:
- Phase 1: involves linking the two buildings with a new 250 sq. ft lobby, enhancing site electrical service including a backup generator, and site preparation.
- Phase 2: focuses on constructing a 3000 sq. ft hamper store, food recovery processing, and storage facilities to offer full-choice shopping for hamper recipients, alongside some 2nd-floor program space.
- Phase 3: includes revamping the current kitchen and dining area.
We are deeply grateful for the ongoing support from volunteers and donations of food and funds over the past 36 years. With the escalating demand for hampers, every contribution is crucial and appreciated. Community support is vital to finance this project. Our goal is to raise $950,000 to cover the cost of this essential expansion.
We are thankful for your contribution to the CVBS Hamper Building Project. Your donation is valued. For more details, please visit CVBS.CA. To become a significant donor for this project, please reach out to Richard Currie, the Board Chair, at cvbs_boardchair@cvbs.ca, or Henry Wikkerink, the CVBS manager, at henry@cvbs.ca
Donations can be made by credit card below,
by sending a e-transfer to build@cvbs.ca, mailing or
dropping a cheque to 5810 Garden St. Duncan, BC V9L 3V9
Draft Site Plan
