"More dignified': The new way Harvest Manitoba is giving away food

The non-profit food bank is adopting a "choice model," sending food in bulk to distribution centres where people can choose their own items, much like at a grocery store. (source: Gary Robson, CTV News)

Harvest Manitoba is changing its distribution model to allow for more efficiency, more choice, and more dignity for its clients.

The non-profit food bank is adopting a "choice model," sending food in bulk to distribution centres where people can choose their own items, much like at a grocery store.  

It's a shift from the previous model, in which clients would pick up pre-packed hampers with food items already selected for them.

That old model worked well during the pandemic said Meaghan Erbus, Network, Advocacy and Education Director for Harvest Manitoba. "At the onset of COVID, Harvest began creating hampers in order to continue to be able to provide services to our food bank recipients, taking items otherwise been in bulk and boxing them."

But now that the pandemic is over, the food bank is changing the way it provides food to those in need. "This model, the choice model, is a bit more dignified in that folks can come in, they can pick the items that they want... so this opens up for folks to be able to do that," said Erbus.

She said the grocery-style shopping model will also help reduce food waste. "Because we're switching back to a choice model, were providing more food, more choice ... and a dignified opportunity for people to choose items."

Harvest Manitoba is always looking for food donations. The top ten needed items are listed on its website and include canned food, pasta, and peanut butter.

Erbus said they are also in need of baby formula, "That’s one of the items that we need a lot of, and so we're looking for people to donate those items."

More than 40,000 Manitobans depend on food banks every month.