Fraser Valley REALTORS® donate $25,000 to local food banks

SURREY, British Columbia, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On behalf of Fraser Valley's 3,840 REALTORS®, the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) has donated a total of $25,000 to six food banks in its region.

Chris Shields, President of the Board, said, "This past year has been such a struggle for everyone, but imagine if in addition to worrying about the pandemic, you lost your job and couldn't make ends meet? Our local food banks have worked tirelessly ? under really challenging circumstances ? to ensure their clients could still, safely receive food for their families. It's truly an honour to help."

This is the ninth year Fraser Valley Realtors have donated to local food banks. In that time, a total amount of $232,500 has been distributed throughout the region.

As in previous years, the donation is divided proportionately based on the number of Realtors represented in each community. $14,450 will go to the Surrey Food Bank; $5,400 to the Langley Food Bank; $1,200 to Sources - White Rock / South Surrey Food Bank; $650 to the North Delta Chapter of the Surrey Food Bank; $2,750 to the Abbotsford Food Bank; and $550 to St. Joseph's Food Bank in Mission.

Meghan Kellington and Nick Johnson work on behalf of Abbotsford's Archway Community Services Food Bank. They took time out of their busy schedule to offer Chris Shields a safely-distanced tour to show how their team adapted to the pandemic.

Johnson pointed, "As you can see, instead of clients coming in to select their fresh, frozen and boxed foods, we have volunteers safely putting the shopping bags together for our clients to pick up." Kellington described how their school program ? helping 300 children per week ? also had to adapt, plus they have increased the number of hampers delivered to seniors' homes to 150 per month.

The Board of Directors, together with CEO, Baldev Gill, oversee FVREB's annual budget and strive to give back to Fraser Valley communities whenever possible. Gill observed, "Housing and food go hand in hand. Shelter is a basic right, and we all have a duty do to what we can to help our neighbours."

Archway Community Services assists approximately 3,000 people per month, which can increase to as many as 4,500 during high stress or peak times. Across BC, food banks support over 80,000 people every month; please consider supporting the food bank organization in your community. For more information about all FVREB community giving initiatives, go to www.fvreb.bc.ca.

The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board is an association of 3,840 real estate professionals who live and work in the BC communities of North Delta, Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Abbotsford, and Mission. The FVREB marks its 100-year anniversary this year.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/53f4548d-332d-441d-9371-89c0df621b92