The cost of a new community kitchen at the Peter McKee Community Food Centre is a bit smaller following a $40,000 investment by the provincial government.
READ MORE: Moncton food bank community garden in need of volunteers
Premier Brian Gallant made the announcement Monday that $40,000 would be invested to support construction. The overall cost is expected to be around $300,000.
The new kitchen will offer community-based cooking programs where small groups of people can come together to prepare meals for their families, food centre clients or other groups who access the facility or need assistance with meals.
Gabrielle Johnson, a client and volunteer at the centre, said it has been helping her fulfill her needs because she’s unable to work due to back problems.
She said the kitchen could help people learn how to prepare more of the food available at the centre.
“I know people who walk straight past the produce table, they take no produce at all and I try to encourage them,” Johnson said. “So I know the kitchen is going to make a difference to show people what’s possible with food.”
Dave Hicks, president of the Food Depot Alimentaire – which is the governing organization for the centre – said it’s a problem they see from time to time.
“Some of our clients, when you give them food and produce and stuff, it’s like, ‘what am I supposed to do with that?'” Hicks said.
It will also be used as a teaching kitchen to educate clients about following the Canada Food Guide and preparing fresh meals to combat obesity, especially in children and young adults. The kitchen will also be open to other non-profit organizations for similar purposes such as fundraising.
“There will be seating there for about 40 people so if individual companies want to do a little fundraising and want to use the kitchen for a night or something, they walk out and leave a cheque behind, that could work as well,” Hicks said.
The objectives of the community food centre are:
- to provide better access to healthy and nutritious foods to individuals and families in an inclusive and dignified setting;
- to increase food security in the community by offering holistic educational programs and social services, whether within the centre or in partnership with other community or government organizations; and
- to create an engaging community space where all community partners, businesses and residents can work together to inspire change and empower others.
The Peter McKee Community Food Centre opened in May 2016, merging three Moncton-area food banks into one. It helps 1,500 low-income families in the Moncton area. The centre is open five days a week and has a community garden, play room, as well as an on-site thrift store.
The new teaching kitchen should be operational by April 2017.
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