Your Impact in February 2026

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What's in Our March Newsletter?

1. Your Impact in February

2. Food Bank Feedback Survey
3. March Food Pantry Wishlist

4. Downtown Burger Battle

5. Behind the Scenes

6. Volunteer Spotlight

7. Volunteer Drivers/Passengers Needed

8. Community Highlights & Updates

Hey, neighbours!

Bridges to Hope is committed to providing dignified and accessible assistance to those experiencing food insecurity. Our vision is a community where all of our neighbours have access to nutritious and culturally-appropriate food.

Food Hampers

Last month, our food bank saw 1,491 total visits.

This is a 30% increase compared to February of last year.

Children Served

In February, 477 of visits to our food bank were children, accounting for one‑third of overall visits.

Seniors Served

Last month, 99 visits to our food bank were seniors (aged 60+).

We are continuing to see heightened demand for food assistance in the St. John's Metro region. On average, we distributed food to more than 100 people each day our pantry was open in February 2026.

There are a number of factors driving this increased demand, including ongoing affordability challenges and increased utility bills during colder weather. For folks who work on an hourly wage basis, winter storm closures can also mean missed wages, contributing to added financial strain.

Food insecurity requires a compassionate and nimble response year-round, but with record snowfall this winter has been especially challenging for many of our neighbours. We've been responding to these concerns in a number of ways:

1. Taking proactive steps to ensure food is distributed before adverse weather arrives

2. When safe to do so, offering additional/extended hours of operation once a storm has ended

3. Leaning into community partnerships to coordinate food hamper delivery to those who cannot leave their homes (we're also recruiting our own volunteer delivery drivers!)

As always, none of this work would be possible without our dedicated team. We thank our staff and volunteers for their adaptability and commitment to ensuring our neighbours can access the support they need.

Food Bank Feedback Survey

As a community-based organization, feedback from our neighbours is essential to help us fulfill our mission. Your feedback helps us understand what’s working, what we could tweak, and how we can increase our impact in the St. John’s Metro region.

If you have accessed Bridges to Hope’s food bank within the last 12 months, we invite you to complete our anonymous feedback survey. Please click on the button below to share your thoughts. Thank you for your time!

Find the survey here

March Food Pantry Wish List

Baby Formula

Baby formula is an essential item for families with infants to ensure babies receive the nourishment they need during an important stage of growth and development.

Rice

Rice is a staple pantry item for many families who visit our food bank.

Whether long grain, brown, basmati, or instant, we'll put all types of rice to good use!

Can Openers

Since much of the food donated to food banks is canned, can openers are a small but essential kitchen tool for those who access our services!

Downtown Burger Battle: The Newfoundland Embassy

We’re excited to share that The Newfoundland Embassy has chosen Bridges to Hope as their charity partner for this year’s Downtown Burger Battle! 🍔

Throughout the month of March, $1 from every "DiploMac" burger sold at The Newfoundland Embassy will be donated to Bridges to Hope's food pantry, helping support households facing food insecurity in the St. John’s Metro region.

Occurring annually throughout the month of March, the Downtown Burger Battle is an annual contest hosted by Downtown St. John’s, where local restaurants compete for the title of best burger.

Stop by The Newfoundland Embassy, enjoy a burger and cast a vote while supporting our neighbours experiencing food insecurity!

Learn more about the Downtown Burger Battle here.

Behind the Scenes at Bridges to Hope

Behind every program we provide is a team of volunteers doing the heavy lifting (literally!)

It takes a lot of hard work to feed 1,500 of our neighbours each month, and operating out of a more than 100 year old building can make things even more interesting. But whether it’s slugging pallets of food over snow banks, chopping a seemingly endless amount of bell peppers, or whatever unique scenario the day presents, our incredible volunteer team keeps showing up and asking what’s next.

We're so proud of the kindness and commitment to community our volunteers show each and every day.

Volunteer Spotlight

Volunteers are at the heart of everything we do at Bridges to Hope. Every month, we have the privilege of highlighting one of the incredible people who make our work possible. This month, we’re pleased to highlight Barbara M!

Barbara is one of our dedicated volunteers who spends Thursday mornings supporting the community through our food pantry. We caught up with Barbara to learn more about her volunteer experience:

When did you start volunteering with Bridges to Hope?

I started volunteering in the fall of 2025.

What is your favourite part of volunteering at Bridges to Hope?

I love the enthusiasm and commitment of the staff and other volunteers at Bridges to Hope. Everyone is always upbeat and happy to be there helping to serve in our community. It is a pleasure to be part of this team and I look forward to volunteering there each week.

Tell us a fun fact about you!

Last year I learned a new skill …how to filet cod! It was something I watched my dad do my whole life but never tried. Now I can catch AND filet my cod fish during the annual food fishery!

Thanks for being a part of our team, Barbara. People like you make our community stronger!

Volunteer Drivers & Passengers Needed

We’re looking for volunteer drivers and passengers to join our team!

Our van volunteers are essential members of our team, delivering support to our neighbours and carrying out retail food recovery, donation pick up, and shopping. If you enjoy being on the road and making a meaningful difference, this could be a great fit for you! We currently have a variety of flexible shifts available.

Requirements: Valid driver's licence, clear driving abstract, ability to lift up to 50lb

Sounds like a good fit? Please reach out to Jessica at volunteer@bridgestohope.ca for more information!

Community Highlights

TELUS Friendly Future Foundation

Thanks to the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation for their generous $5,000 contribution to help bring nourishment, comfort, and hope to thousands of individuals experiencing food insecurity in St. John’s and surrounding areas.

Dillon Consulting

A big thank you to Dillon Consulting's St. John's office for hosting a Valentine’s Day donation drive in support of our food pantry.

The team collected fresh and non-perishable food items valued at more than $1,700, helping restock our shelves at a time when supplies run low.

Tec Nurtur

A big thank you to Tec Nurtur, a youth-led nonprofit project who hosted tech classes in exchange for food donations this winter.

It’s inspiring to see young people in our community bringing learning and community care together in such a meaningful way.

Join us in making a greater impact! Share our mission on social media and help us reach even more of our neighbours experiencing food insecurity.

PS: If this email landed in your spam or promotions folder, please move it to your inbox or add us to your safe sender list so you don't miss future updates.

37 Cookstown Rd, St. John's NL A1C 4G7
info@bridgestohope.ca
(709) 722-9225

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