Oaklands Pantry
The Oaklands Pantry is a supplementary food program offering free groceries from which participants can choose. The Pantry occurs the fourth Sunday of the month at 1-2827 Belmont Ave, and you must be contacted ahead of time, no drop-ins (sign up to our waitlist below).
We offer both local and rescued foods including: produce, dairy, eggs, shelf-stable goods and treats. Through the program we try to do our small part to reduce food waste and increase community food access.
The Oaklands Pantry works in collaboration with the Food Share Network, the Mustard Seed, South Island FarmHub, Farmer Ben's Eggs, Bills Bagged Lunches and other community partners.
Pantry Waitlist
To be eligible for the Pantry you must live in Oaklands (or just outside of it).
The boundaries we use are Cook St. / N. Dairy Rd. / Richmond Rd / Bay St.
We are now adding people to the Pantry waitlist. Participants will be contacted the week before if they are able to secure a spot in that months Pantry.
Questions? contact: foodsecurity@oaklandsca.com.
Community Dinner
When: The 4th Sunday of the month. Doors at 5pm, dinner served at 5:30pm.
Where: Oaklands Community Centre
Entry by suggested donation: $5-$15
Each month, from September through June, we extend a warm invitation to Oaklands community members to join us for our Community Dinner on the fourth Sunday of the month.
Come join us for a delicious meal prepared by Chef Bob and volunteers! Looking forward to seeing you there. Call 250-370-9101 ext.1 to register.
Community Harvest Box
For the past 6 years, your generous donations have allowed us to deliver the Gift of Good Food, providing families in need with consistent and dignified access to fresh local produce. Last year, your donations supported 7 families with biweekly produce boxes for an entire year.
This year, the name of the program has changed, but our goal of combatting food insecurity hasn't. By interacting with these families each week at pickup, we have seen the strong impact this program has on our community members. Now with the support of South Island FarmHub, we aim to continue providing for these families, with the hopes of increasing our reach in 2027.
But we can't do this without you!
This is more than just a holiday fundraiser; it's a year-round commitment to providing food access and building community filled with warmth, connection, and justice. Every dollar raised brings us closer to our goal of bringing fresh, nutritious food to families while reinforcing the connections that make our neighbourhood stronger. Our goal this is to raise $5,000 by the end of 2026. Help us reach our goal and provide fresh and local food to your neighbours for an entire year!
Ways to Donate:
- Donate directly to this initiative on our online portal at https://tinyurl.com/oaklandschb
- Donate in person at the Oaklands Community Center between November 1st and December 31st. Be sure to let our team know you want your donation to go towards the Community Harvest Box!
- Participate in our 50/50 Raffle at the Oaklands Winter Market on November 21st! The winner of the raffle wins half the pot, and the other half goes towards this initiative!
- Participate in our Oaklands Business Raffle! Keep an eye for more information on that soon. The raffle will include prize packs from local Oaklands businesses!
Farmers' Market Nutritional Coupon Program
The Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Program (FMNCP) is a healthy eating initiative that supports farmers’ markets and strengthens food security across British Columbia.
Oaklands partners with this program to provide coupons to lower-income families, pregnant people and seniors. Coupons can be spent at all BCAFM member farmers’ markets that participate in the FMNCP (like the Sunset Market!), and can be used to purchase vegetables, fruits, nuts, eggs, dairy, herbs, vegetable & fruit plants, honey, meat and fish.
To learn more about this program, check out the FMNCP website to find out how it works.
Please note that there is high demand and limited funding for this program across BC, and capacity varies year to year.
Applications for the 2026 season are now closed
Please understand that due to the limited number of slots we have this year, participants will be selected through a lottery system. Meaning, though you are filling out this form now, it does NOT guarantee a spot in the program, even if you filled it out early. We appreciate your understanding.
Oaklands Community Coobook
To celebrate community and all of the amazing food available at our Sunset Farmers' Markets, Oaklands staff and community members have collaborated to create a Community Cook Book! All of the recipes feature fresh ingredients you can find at our markets and we hope they give you some new healthy and tasty ideas
Download the cookbook here
Contact Us
For more info regarding Food Security programs at Oaklands please contact our Food Security Coordinator at:
250-370-9101 ext #8
Interested in Volunteering with our Food Security programs?
Learn more and Apply Here!