Frozen meal program at Kinsmen Cafe seeing “fantastic” support from Moose Jaw
After launching a new frozen meal program from its kitchen earlier this spring, coordinators at the Kinsmen Café have seen a huge amount of interest from the community that could mean the idea is here to stay. Since February, the Kinsmen Café has been providing pre-made frozen meals for residents to order, all of which are being handmade in the café’s kitchen. Staff at the Kinsmen Café prepare all the meals in-house, and they also deliver them personally for orders that request a delivery.
The program really picked up in March, said program coordinator Mariah Horsnall from Moose Jaw Families for Change, and doesn’t seem to be slowing down any. “It really blew up, there is more support than we thought there was ever going to be. We’re struggling to keep meals stocked in the freezer,” said Horsnall. “It’s been fantastic and it's still going.”
Meals are continuously selling out fast, continued Horsnall, with lots of community members and even long-distance relatives jumping in on the program. She estimated the café has delivered about 500 meals since things got busy in March.
“Feedback has been very positive and very thankful. We have had family members calling from different provinces to order for their loved ones,” said Horsnall.
The Kinsmen Café is part of the Imagine Employment program at the MJFFC, offering individuals with varying abilities employment opportunities that fit their needs and wants for work experience.
Horsnall said the program has been a great add-on to the Café's regular services, especially as it’s providing a great opportunity for some outside but still safe social interaction — for both those doing the deliveries and those receiving them.
“It's been very beneficial for our group, for sure, because it gives us something to get out of the building and do [and] it supports the community,” said Horsnall. “It gives our folks a chance to see some different faces, instead of being indoors all day.”
Horsnall confirmed that the café plans to continue offering the frozen meal options as long as there is interest. “There’s still lots of room [on the order list] and as long as the community still wants it, we will keep at it,” said Horsnall. “We do have a couple of [customers] that have kept family members on a kind of paid plan, so they’d like to see it keep going. I don’t see it stopping anytime.” A list of available meal options is regularly updated on the Kinsmen Café's Facebook page, with all kinds of meals on the menu — from ham and scalloped potatoes to ginger beef and rice. Details on pricing and how to order are also being shared on Facebook.