Food Banks Canada Case Study

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The problem Food Banks Canada is having is their revenue level. Although they’re rated larger in food donations and staff levels, Food Banks Canada remains dependent on government advocacy. Reports indicate that majority of donors prefer to donate to national rather than provincial associations and member surveys reported that the larger food banks were less satisfied with provincial associations, reporting that Food Banks Canada provided little direct value to them (Cawsey, Deszca, & Ingols, 2016). It is apparent that Food Banks Canada does not have the adequate resources to sustain the provincial food bank associations. In order for Food Banks Canada to enhance these relationships it must create an organization change that will adhere to the need for provincial association relations while increasing revenue to support those associations. One viable suggestion from the leadership team was to focus on both; advocacy, food and fundraising. While both may be challenging, currently Food Banks Canada can sufficiently support the direction of change by means of members and volunteers. Through these methods of change, Food Banks Canada can allocate resources and align the organization with its purpose, creating a new vision that strengthens the presence of Food Banks Canada.

Support and Approvals

One of the things recommended for Schmidt to do, is to generate needed support and approvals from the National Board, her staff, the member council, and affiliated food banks is to partner or team up with one of the other smaller food banks. In the reading, there are a couple of big food banks and then there are several smaller food banks. One recommendation is to join other food banks for the greater cause this way, the board and other important decision makers can see the importance behind the need of their support. There is a saying that there is strength in numbers. Another recommendation is to put together a proposal including the track history of Food Banks Canada. Almost everyone loves a determination and perseverance story, so a recommendation would be to create a proposal that includes their story of persevering when the odds were against them while also listing their accomplishments and the number of people that this food bank helps. Another recommendation would be to sit down with all the important people she needs to back her and Food Banks Canada and take a survey or have an open discussion on what reservations they have with backing this food bank. This way she and the company can hear firsthand what the obstacles or hurdles are that stands in their way, and hopefully address it and wins over their support.

Conclusion

Overall, it is clear that Food Banks Canada can keep succeeding in the food banks to continue to fight against hunger. Mostly because food banks are ran by people who volunteer, Food Banks Canada should consider asking for more volunteer help. The more people there is, the bigger Food Banks Canada can get. By creating an organizational plan and a vision for Food Banks Canada it can overcome anything as well as becoming a larger national food bank. Katherine Schmidt has plenty of options to follow in order to continue to make Food Banks Canada succeed as the ones listed in this paper. By restructuring its plan Food Banks can make the necessary changes and concentrate on creating a mission with a better model.

References

Cawsey, Deszca, & Ingols, (2016). Organizational Change

Food Banks Canada Website (2016). Retrieved from

https://www.foodbankscanada.ca/Hunger-in-Canada/About-Hunger-in-Canada.aspx