Saskatchewan church serves up daily grocery program
Food ministry helps everyone involved
KCF distributed 64,000 metric tons of recovered and donated food in 2023.
“Everyone just felt, ‘This is right. This is what we need to do,’ ” says ministry leader Barbe Dunn about why her church, Kindersley Christian Fellowship in Kindersley, Sask., opened a KCF Food Mesh, a daily grocery program in 2021. The program operates under the larger umbrella of Food Mesh, a network of 2,500 organizations that redistributes surplus food to charities who give it to those in need.
Dunn, who directs the program, and 25 congregation volunteers, redistribute donated meat, dairy, produce and nonperishable food items from local grocers, bakeries and growers to residents experiencing food shortages.
Dunn says her team served 15 per cent more people in 2023 than in 2022 distributing 64,000 metric tons of recovered and donated food.
KCF Food Mesh is open Tuesday through Thursday and anyone in need can come to the church for groceries. “We set it up like a store so people can come and shop,” says Dunn. About a hundred people a week drop by for food – some from up to 150 km away. On the days when KCF does not offer groceries, the team brings the donated food to the food bank and the local seniors complex. For these seniors to receive meat, dairy and vegetables is “absolutely massive,” says Dunn, who says she’s seen a lot of seniors trying to survive on very poor nutrition.
“I’m always getting calls to help,” says Dunn. One caller shared she and her children had no food in the house. Another caller told Dunn, “I have no money for water.” While utility companies can’t cut off gas and hydro, they can cut off water, Dunn explains.
Volunteers on the Food Mesh team have “meshed together like a family,” says Dunn. The volunteers consider the program “a gift we’ve been given to steward wisely,” and enjoy “seeing lives changed.” Team members often try to help clients with more than just their food needs. It’s not uncommon for volunteers “to get them to a counsellor or doctor” when needed, says Dunn. They also share the gospel with clients. Last fall six people who received help also “received Jesus,” says Dunn.
Dunn says team members receive big life changes as well. Two single dads who volunteer have overcome addictions and are now employed (or soon to be so).