What We Do
We offer support to anyone requiring emergency food aid. Our clients come from all over the Northeast Avalon region. The face of hunger is not always recognizable in our city: it could be the family next door, the child who sits next to yours in school, a coworker, or the person who serves you at a local business. That’s why at Bridges to Hope our focus is on Neighbours feeding Neighbours. We strive to ensure that the diverse members of our community have fair and unbiased access to our services, while also acting as advocates for increased food security. We are committed to being accountable and transparent in our actions and to ensuring the most effective use of our resources.
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Food Pantry
Newfoundland has the highest rate of per capita food bank usage in Canada. In 2022 our pantry provided emergency food aid to over 10,000 people. Folks who access our services come to us from every sector of society—no one is turned away. Individuals and families can access food assistance twice a month and can receive a full hamper or an emergency hamper.
Healthy Hamper
This unique and essential program, funded by United Way of Newfoundland and Labrador, ensures that everyone who visits our food bank has access to fresh, nutritious food options. Each hamper includes fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as a rotating menu of homemade meals including low sodium chicken soup, goulash, vegetable curry, and more.
Smart Snack
This program provides nutritious snack items to the over 250 school-aged children whose families access our services each month. Each Smart Snack kit contains 4-5 days of nutritious snacks that include protein, dairy, fruit and a homemade snack such as a bran muffin or energy bite.
Bag to School
For over a decade Bridges to Hope has offered support to families in our community through our annual Bag to School program. This program ensures that students go back to school in September with a backpack custom filled with the supplies requested by their teacher. In 2023, we distributed over 400 backpacks to students in grades K-12. Families who wish to register for this program can contact us in July.
Holiday Support
In partnership with the Rotary Club of St. John’s, each November we register over 300 families who need financial support during the holidays. Each family receives a grocery gift card which they can use to purchase items for their holiday dinner. In 2022 we distributed 360 gift cards to families in need.
Community Outreach
Bridges to Hope partners with two community groups to distribute food hampers to those in our community who otherwise cannot access food banks. These outreach initiatives help address gaps in service delivery and ensure that seniors, those with disabilities, and those without access to reliable transportation can access food assistance. In 2021, Bridges to Hope distributed 1584 hampers through these outreach partnerships, an increase from 135 hampers in 2020.
Connections for Seniors serves those in the metro region ages 55 and above who cannot leave their homes due to illness, transportation barriers, impaired mobility, and other challenges. In 2021 our pantry prepared 796 hampers for Connections for Seniors.
Local Wellness Collective has a similar mandate, serving people of all ages in the metro region who do not have the means to physically access food banks and community food programs. In 2021 our pantry prepared 788 hampers for Local Wellness Collective.