Volunteer’s Passion to Reduce Waste Provides More Food for Families

Christine Babin works hard to stretch donations at Kingsdale Community Centre.

Volunteer Christine Babin has found a way to stretch food that is handed out to families in need at Kingsdale Community Centre.

When she first began volunteering, she was concerned by the leftover fruit and vegetables going to the compost pile. So she started using her own equipment, including a food processor and vacuum sealer, to freeze leftover produce.

With help from Kindred Credit Union, equipment will now be purchased to expand this program, allowing Christine and her group of volunteers to preserve even more food, reducing waste and giving individuals in need more options when feeding their families.

“We haven’t had to throw out any food in the last two months,” said Christine. “It comes down to being able to give out more to our community, and giving them more options to feed their families.”

We are thankful for a three-year grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, totalling $738,000, to build stronger communities in low-income neighbourhoods. Through the “Nourishing Neighbourhoods” project, we will be developing food programs that build community connection, including community kitchens, gardens, meals and lunch programs.