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Huntsville to get new food bank
by Tamara de la Vega
There’s a new initiative afoot in Huntsville to help those in need during troubled times.
Members of the Table Soup Kitchen – which recently celebrated its second anniversary – will be extending their philanthropic services to the community through the addition of a food bank. “With the powerful financial and material support of our community we are able to continue to help meet the need of access to free food on a regular basis,” explained coordinator and board member Heather Berg. In addition to the soup kitchens held every Monday between 5 and 6:30 p.m. at the Community Living building on 99 West Road and every Thursday during the same hours at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, a food bank will be opened shortly in the Brendale Square area. “Barry and Laura Anderson generously donated their Anderson Produce store at 96 Main Street East until they resume their own business in May of 2009,” explained Berg, adding that the details are still being finalized, but that organizers hope to be up and running by early December. Board member Dottie Barber, who ran a food bank in Emsdale with her family for several years, will be bringing her experience to the table. She said currently the soup kitchen serves an average of 50 people per week between both nights. “So I know there is a need for that kind of help.” Barber said the food for the bank will be garnered through community help and two not-for-profit organizations that operate throughout Ontario and get support from grocery stores and other avenues. Alan Paton, also a board member, said the creation of a food bank is simply a natural extension for the soup kitchen. “We’ve had generous support from various suppliers all over town who provide meals or parts of meals, so whenever we have leftovers we pack it up and send it home with our guests,” he said. “You talk with them about what’s really going on and people are losing jobs and they’re having difficulties making ends meet,” he said, adding that food prices have increased considerably and it is becoming increasingly difficult to put nutritionally balanced meals together. “We’ve seen increased attendance at the soup kitchen. We’ve gone from one night to two nights and I think we could go more,” he said. All three of those interviewed for this story were adamant that the Salvation Army’s food bank still needs to be supported and that Huntsville’s new food bank will simply complement the existing help available to improve the lot of those in need. “There are businesses and individuals who have the will to help, they just don’t know how. I think we can facilitate people helping other people by just offering a mechanism,” said Paton. Berg said The Soup Kitchen and food bank are looking for more board members in 2009.“They have to be committed Christian leaders,” she explained. For further information on this initiative call Berg at 783-5827 or checkout their website at www.thetablesoupkitchen.com. Sounds like great news!
Submitted by Jason Kataoka from Huntsville
on Saturday, December 13, 2008 at 9:26 pm
I'm so glad to hear that you've opened up a new space for the food bank. Thanks for everything, I'm a regular at the table on Mondays and Fridays. Nathan is thankful too. I hope you receive the continued support of the community.
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