A day at the food bank: A photo essay on giving, kindness and community

I have never had any direct connection with food insecurity,but have known families that use food banks and some who even "dumpster dive," partially because of the enormous waste by our supermarkets and partially by circumstance.

The topic of food insecurity led me to apply for and receive a Canada Council grant allowing me to begin my own "Every Person Project," exploring how we shop for our food.

So being assigned to photograph activity at the Oromocto Food Bank presented an unbelievable opportunity to look at another side of anever-growing concern that affects us all.

Jane Buckley, executive director of the food bank, leads a team of enthusiastic volunteers. Many of them are retirees, but there's also asprinkling of students and a few others still in the workforce.

All together, they present is a well-oiled and caring machine, with each volunteer knowing their role and the good that they provide by doing so.

I was immediately welcomed which made my conversations and researcheasy.

My photographs reveal the efforts and co-ordination needed to provide good food for those in need.

Behind a camera, I'm usually detached from events surrounding me, but to see the incredible amounts of food that would normally go to wastebeing purposefully used brought about a tear.

The hope that is imbued into every box of food, every backpack and every Christmas present made possible by the Oromocto Food Bank shows that no one should go without.

I've learned a lot from this experience.

Portraits of Kindness is a special series of photo essays. CBC Atlantic asked local photographers to visit a food bank and capture acts of kindness through their lens.The project coincides with CBC's Make The Season Kind campaign in support of food banks in Atlantic Canada.