Upstream Impacts: Salmon Deliveries in New Brunswick Communities

At Second Harvest, we know that good food is a vital source of nourishment, and also dignity, comfort, connection and health. In rural and isolated communities, where food insecurity rates are high, access to quality protein can be especially difficult to attain.

That’s why our East Coast team was eager to get to work coordinating the delivery of over 3100 lbs of quality, frozen salmon products to non-profits serving some of the most remote and rural corners of New Brunswick.

Our team collaborated closely with partners across the region to overcome the logistical challenges of transporting temperature-sensitive salmon to communities with limited cold storage and stretched resources. From managing tight freezer capacity to maintaining the cold chain over long rural routes, the team ensured the salmon arrived safely and reached the people who needed it most.

That included organizations like Action Ministries of Grand Manan. On Grand Manan Island, where options are few and distance from the mainland presents ongoing challenges, this volunteer-run group provides emergency assistance, food support and other critical resources.

Valley Food Bank serves as a vital hub for rural families delivering food to isolated communities, supporting school meal programs and helping people connect with housing and employment services.

Fundy Region Transition House also received a portion of the donation. Operating throughout Charlotte County, the organization offers shelter and wraparound support for women and children fleeing violence. For those in crisis, nutritious food is a crucial part of recovery and stability.

Food banks across all four corners of Saint John — where the child poverty rate is among the highest in Canada — also received salmon, including the North End Food Bank and River Valley Food Bank.

Diane Hewitt from the Saint John East Food Bank shared that in a recent survey, clients were wishing for more fish, making the timing of this donation especially appreciated.

“This donation is a blessing," she shared.

According to Michael Roberts from West Side Food Bank, another hardworking non-profit organization that received salmon through this donation, their “clients will choose fish every time it is offered!"