Food for Friends! Burnaby farmers market delivers fresh produce to PCN community fridges
Check your local free fridge for some seasonal delights this summer and fall!
Burnaby Primary Care Network (PCN) and Burnaby Artisan Farmers Market have been cultivating a partnership over the years to bring fresh local produce to Burnaby Community Fridges.
The Food for Friends initiative contributes to building food security in Burnaby — supporting our neighbours with low-barrier access to fresh, seasonal food through the free fridges across Burnaby. It is an initiative of the Burnaby Artisan Farmers Market, benefiting the Burnaby community through food contributions to the Burnaby Community Fridge network.
Food for Friends is supported by the generous donations of local business owners, sponsored two years running by local business-owner Tim Lyon of Mortgage Architects, with Janice Low Physio and Burnaby Chiropractic also sponsoring in 2024.
“We launched this initiative to ensure that community members — especially those without regular access to fresh, local produce — have the opportunity to put something healthy on the table for their families and loved ones. We’re deeply grateful to our sponsors, whose support not only uplifts families in need but also strengthens our local farming community.”
– Jennifer Winning,
Executive Director, Burnaby Artisan Farmers Market
The Burnaby Community Fridge network works on the simple philosophy of “Take what you need, leave what you can.” We encourage Burnaby residents and businesses to donate groceries as a meaningful way to engage in mutual aid, and to avoid food waste.
These fridges complement other food security programs in Burnaby, adding a ‘no sign-up required’ method to access free food when you need it. The network is sustained by the efforts of our wonderful fridge hosts and includes three fridges on post-secondary campuses (two at SFU Burnaby, one at BCIT Burnaby) and two outdoor fridges that are open 24/7. Learn more about the program and find locations on our fridge page.
We are so grateful to the Burnaby Artisan Farmers Market for being a supporter of our community fridges and all the people involved who make Food for Friends a reality. It is truly a collaborative effort — from the farmers who grow the food to the sponsors who fund the donations, to the volunteers who drive around Burnaby to various fridge locations making regular monthly drop-offs. We appreciate you!
“There are a lot of factors that contribute to our health, including where we live and whether we have reliable and regular access to food. It is so impactful when health and community partners come together to make Burnaby a healthier place, so we are especially pleased to have this connection between the Burnaby PCN and farmers markets in Burnaby.”
– Huyanne Le,
PCN Manager, Senior Manager Community Partnerships and Initiatives
There is a good deal of harvest season left, so check out a market near you! There are two market locations in Burnaby that run weekly:
Brentwood Boulevard (off Halifax Way)
Sundays from 10am to 2pm
until September 14, 2025
4949 Canada Way (parking lot of Burnaby City Hall)
Saturdays from 9am to 2pm
until October 18, 2025
Are you having your own bountiful harvest season? Is there any fruit or veg that you’d be willing to share? If you have an excess of produce from your own garden, you can join in by dropping some off at a fridge location near you.
Images courtesy of Burnaby Artisan Farmers Market