BC Thanksgiving Food Drive 2026

August 16, 2026Leave a comment

During 3rd/4thweek of September each year the Squamish Multifaith Association partners with the Annual BC Thanksgiving Food Drive(BCTFD), the Squamish Food Bank, and a host of wonderful community volunteers, to collect food donations for Squamish Food Bank.

WE NEED YOUR HELP – Community volunteers will deliver flyers during the week of September 20-23 to various neighbourhoods in Squamish. Donations will be picked up on the morning of Saturday September 26 and brought to the Squamish Foodbank, now located at Under One Roof on 37871 – 3 Ave.

Volunteers drop off flyers to the houses on their assigned route by leaving them at the door or other visible location (no solicitation required just wedge in door jam/flyer box or sticking out from under door mat). This happens on Sunday to Wednesday (your choice) before Saturday Sept 26st. On Saturday Sept 26st volunteers return to their routes and pick up any bags left on doorsteps, and bring donations to the Food Bank.

Phone–604-848-4807 or e-mail squamishfooddrive@gmail.com. if you can do a route or would like your condo complex to participate.

CONDOS: Condos can also participate. If you live in a condo complex and would like to help, we can give you a letter for strata to ask permission to leave a collection box in the common area. Collection boxes are placed 10-14 days ahead of time. You would bring all donations to the Foodbank on collection day. We aim to have 10 condo units participating this year.

Multicultural Day Totem Hall Saturday February 07 11:30 am – 4 pm

February 1, 2026Leave a comment

Multicultural Day at Totem Hall will take place on Saturday February 7^th.

This grassroots gathering celebrates our diversity and welcomes people from all traditions to come together to build community. It is a time for sharing of food, music, traditions and stories. It provides an opportunity to listen and learn, meet new people and enjoy the gift of our multi-cultural community. A family friendly, multi-generational event with crafts and music, and information on many community services. It has something everyone. Hosted by Squamish Valley Elders in collaboration with Squamish Multifaith Association and community partners. with support from a SA Arts & Culture Grant.

The BC Thanksgiving Food Drive –is working to restock the shelves at the Squamish Food Bank and will be coming to your neighbourhood Saturday September 20th

September 10, 2025Leave a comment

The BCTFD Project is a province-wide initiative that helps feed thousands across BC who rely on food banks for their basic nutritional needs.

In Squamish, the BCTFD event is a collaborative campaign run by the Squamish Food Bank and the Squamish Multifaith Association and involves some 100 volunteers providing service to the community. Last year over 5000lbs of non-perishable food items was collected with an additional $5000 donated online to support the food drive. Venita Fung, manager of food security at Squamish Helping Hands and Squamish Food Bank emphasised the importance of this event.

“Thanksgiving is a special and meaningful time for the Squamish Food Bank. As the need for services at the Squamish Food Bank continues to grow, with 6,670 visits and 480 household hampers prepared and delivered in the first six months of 2025, the BCTFD is one of the primary ways through which the Squamish Food Bank receives community support and resources.

Once again, we are working with our partners at the Squamish Multifaith Association on the BCTFD to support food security within the Squamish community during the holiday season, and helping to stock the food bank for the remainder of the year. Community donations, whether non-perishables food items, or cash donations, play a vital role in directly supporting individuals and families who rely on services at the Squamish Food Bank. Squamish Helping Hands and Squamish Food Bank are now one happy food security family! The official merger was in early 2025 strengthened our Sea to Sky food system and enhanced our work to keep everyone in our community safe and healthy.

This year, we request that community donations include only the most requested items. This will increase our supply of nutritionally dense foods for individuals and families.

On pick up day, please only put out the following:

-Rice (brown or white)

-Peanut Butter

-Canned fish (tuna, salmon, sardines)

-Cereal/Oatmeal

-Canned Soup (meat and vegetarian)

-Canned vegetables

-Apple sauce

We encourage everyone to give generously, and, when donating food, to be mindful of expiration dates. Expired items cannot be used and result in additional disposal costs for the Food Bank, impacting our resources.

All the food programs operated by Squamish Helping Hands are made possible by the incredible efforts and generosity of our volunteers, partners, and generous community members. We are grateful to our donors and could not promote food security within Squamish without the collective support that lifts our community.

Donations will be collected door-to-door on the morning of September 20^th, and brought to the Squamish Food Bank located at 37871 Third Avenue.

We look forward to another successful Food Drive this year. Thank you Squamish for your support!

For more information on our food security programs, please contact foodsecurity@shhs.ca

If you would like to volunteer for this event, please contact squamishfooddrive@gmail.com

Multicultural Day Totem Hall February 08

January 17, 2025Leave a comment

Multicultural Day at Totem Hall will take place on Saturday February 8^th.

This grassroots gathering celebrates our diversity and welcomes people from all traditions to come together to build community. It is a time for sharing of food, music, traditions and stories. It provides an opportunity to listen and learn, meet new people and enjoy the gift of our multi-cultural community. First held in 1993 this annual event aims to foster friendship and build respectful relationships. A family friendly, multi-generational event with crafts and music, information on many community services and audience participation encouraged. It has something everyone.

Hosted by Squamish Valley Elders in collaboration with Squamish Multifaith Association and community partners.

12-4:30

For more information contact squamishmultifaith@gmail.com

Pitch-In Week

May 18, 2024Leave a comment

Squamish Multifaith Association participated in Pitch-In Week on Saturday April 27. Despite the inclement weather, a hardy group of 22 enthusiasts helped clean up a patch of riverbank between the Adventure Centre and the Canoe Club. Elder Prouse provided a trailer to collect full garbage bags and later delivered them to the landfill. A very joyful gathering followed with a potluck Bar-B-Q hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints. The combination of community service and social time strengthened the bonds of friendship and collaboration between participants.

Multicultural day at Totem Hall 2024

February 19, 2024March 23, 2024Leave a comment

One of the best years yet with a great diversity of participation. The love and joy to be together, sharing and learning from each other was palpable. Enjoy this photo collage which captures the spirit of the day.

Photos by Rosie Williams https://rosiecwilliams.com

Our thanks to Rosie Williams who stayed throughout the day taking some wonderful photos. Rosie is new to Squamish – check her out at https://rosiecwilliams.com

Video by Veer Harjit Singh

: Geraldine Guilfoyle <gerguilfoyle@me.com>

Multicultural Program Squamish 2024 youtu.be

Multicultural Gathering Totem Hall February 10

January 18, 2024Leave a comment

This event has been fostering friendship between cultural and religious groups in Squamish since 1993. It is hosted by Squamish Valley Elders in collaboration with Squamish Multifaith Association and with support from Squamish Valley Administration. A grassroots event that brings community members together to share music, dance and cultural activities. An opportunity to learn, share and participate.

You won’t want to miss it!

Peace Vigil Sunday November 12, 2023

November 7, 2023Leave a comment

Join us as we reflect together on our common humanity and on the suffering caused by the widespread war and conflict that so afflicts our world. We will centre our thoughts on peace and being the well-wishers of all humanity

Gather at O’Siyam Pavilion at 5:15pm

5:30pm – Candlelight walk to Xwunekw Canoe Shelter on the Mamquam Blind Channel.

Candle will be provided.

Religions in Squamish Series

May 14, 2023May 19, 2023Leave a comment

Come join us for our three-part series Religions in Squamish in May as we learn about each other’s Faith traditions. Ten Faith groups will present over three nights. There will be a focus on prayer, its meaning, importance and practice in each tradition.

All welcome – Just turn up!

Multicultural Gathering Totem Hall – February 11, 2023

January 18, 2023Leave a comment

In the summer of 1993. a group of youth traveled across Canada on a bus called Peace Bus ’93. They came from diverse backgrounds and their mission was to foster friendship between the many different peoples that make up our great country. Squamish was a stop along the way where they were hosted by the Squamish Nation and spent one night bunking down at the old Totem Hall. Gwen Harry and Donna Billy put out a call to local church and religious groups to help with food and hospitality. The local Sikh and Baha’i Communities responded and something wonderful was set in motion. Everyone had such a good time, sharing food, stories and music. Friendships were forged and all decided that this coming together to share and celebrate each other’s diversity must continue. Multicultural Day at Totem Hall was born. Over the years other faith groups have joined in the celebrations allowing for a more diverse expression of faith and culture but one thing remains constant – a time to share and celebrate together.

Please join us this year on Saturday February 11, at Totem Hall for an afternoon of music, dance and cultural activities.

Learn-share-participate!