Feed the Need

Give the gift of local food and help feed community members in need

When you join Feed the Need, your one-time or recurring donation supports community members experiencing food insecurity and strengthens our local food system. Your contribution ensures that fresh produce reaches those who need it. Give the gift of local food and help feed community members in need. 

 

Donate TO FEED THE NEED

 

WHAT is Local? Local is a community-powered local food store that connects the Fernie community with local farmers and producers, making fresh, local food available year-round.

WHAT is Wildsight?  The Wildsight Elk Valley Branch is a non-profit organization that aims to cultivate a thriving, knowledgeable, and resilient local food culture through education, advocacy and community engagement.

WHY does this matter? According to Food Banks BC, food bank visits have increased 81% since 2019, and 31% of all food bank users are children. Food security is a major concern in Fernie due to rising costs of living and higher food prices in our remote mountainous region. Feed the Need expands food access for community members facing food insecurity.

 

 “I think it is a wonderful program. It was so nice to have access to the lovely local and fresh products that I would be otherwise unable to afford for my family. It made me feel special for a few weeks. Thank you so much.”  – 2022 Gift Card Recipient

 

 

Your $20 a month, or one-time donation, goes directly toward feeding community members in need. Every donation funds Local gift cards distributed through the Fernie Women’s Resource Centre.

 

This is Community-Powered Local Food for all.

The program was inspired by Local’s successful Second Harvest program in 2022, when $18,000 of local food was distributed to 150 vulnerable families and individuals in the Elk Valley through a gift card program. The program was funded by a grant from Second Harvest, Canada’s largest food rescue charitable organisation. In 2023, Local received another $5,000 donation from 100 Women Who Care Fernie which supported another 30 vulnerable households. Local has received wonderful feedback from previous gift card recipients about how a gift of local food has made a difference in their lives.

Feed the Need first launched in December 2023 at Local, and over $7,200 was raised in the first year, and just under $13, 000 was raised in it’s second year. 

 

Read more about it…

 

How can I help?


Wildsight Elk Valley (WEV) is seeking two individuals for a Work Experience Opportunity at the Local store in Fernie, funded by United Way BC’s…Read More 
Wildsight Elk Valley (WEV) is seeking one individual for a work experience placement supporting our Keeping Food Real program—an online cold-climate gardening course…Read More 
Position: Communications Manager and Project Coordinator Deadline to apply: June 27, 2026 Compensation: $22/hour Scope: 35 hours / week Number of positions: One Start Date…Read More 
Read more news

Upcoming Elk Valley events

Fernie Garden Tour & EcoGarden Fundraiser

Saturday, July 11

Join us for a day of inspiration and exploration in unique Fernie gardens. ITINERARY 9AM tour of the Fernie Community EcoGarden 9:30AM - 12PM Explore designated display gardens at your…

View all events

Join The Team

Want to protect wildlife, clean water and wild spaces? Volunteer with us! Wildsight volunteers are a very special group of people who give generously of their time to stuff envelopes, attend rallies, help run events, put up posters, keep tabs on forestry practices in their communities and participate in citizen science initiatives.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Branch Information

Contact

632 2nd Ave
PO Box 537,
Fernie, BC V0B 1M0
Phone: 250.423.3322
elkvalley@wildsight.ca