A celebration of the positive effects of Ontario Trillium Foundation funding to the Anti-Hunger Coalition Timmins featured dignitaries who helped cut the ribbon to a new community kitchen also cutting vegetables for a salad served at lunch.
One of the grants is from the OTF Resilient Communities Fund. Local foundation representative Steve Kidd says it was created in 2020 to help non-profits move beyond challenges created by COVID-19.
“You have no idea how big the need was across Ontario and how difficult it was for all of the volunteers at the Trillium Foundation to determine which ones are the most worthy,” he remarked, continuing that ACT’s gardening and cooking programs fit the foundation’s goal of building healthy, vibrant communities.
ACT executive director Kelsey MacDonnell told a celebratory lunch at its location in the old Daily Press building that money from the Resilient Communities Fund went a long way to meeting an urgent need.
“The funding has allowed us to grow our core programs – collective cooking and community gardens,” she said, “by increasing critical staff hours, expanding outreach and ensuring our programs remain inclusive, accessible and community driven.”
MacDonnell says ACT has developed workshops for children, seniors and disability pension recipients, giving them the skill and confidence to cook affordable, nutritious meals.
