Nanaimo, B.C. soup kitchen celebrates permanent new home

A Vancouver Island charity is celebrating after finally securing a permanent new home.

The work of Nanaimo, B.C.’s, Stone Soup Kitchen has never wavered, despite missing one key ingredient: somewhere to actually cook.

The project started five years ago, with Tanya and Doug Hiltz preparing sandwiches in a makeshift structure in their backyard. And it wasn’t smooth sailing to get to where it is now.

“This has been two years and three months in the making of this kitchen,” Doug Hiltz said.

“It’s like a burden is gone.”

This week, the Wisteria Community Association opened the doors at the Stone Soup’s brand new Nanaimo location: a commercial kitchen, complete with a prep space.

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Through it all, the charity has managed to come through for the people it serves, operating seven nights a week and handing out hundreds of meals to people experiencing homelessness in downtown and north Nanaimo.

Not having a place to call home is something to which the Stone Soup Kitchen project can relate.

Its original backyard location was eventually shut down, when inspectors determined the structure it was operating out of didn’t comply with code and had no building permit.

It then began working out of a rental kitchen and making deliveries out of a van.

Now, the charity says to have secured a permanent location, where they’re able to serve hot meals to those in need, is nothing short of inspirational.

Despite the new digs, the daily challenge remains keeping the project going, through continued support in the form of food and donations — even occasionally from those the kitchen serves.

“One guy last night walked up and handed me five dollars in change,” Hiltz said.

“(He) said, ‘Put it in the program because I know it’s coming right back out in food.'”