Medicine Hat and District Food Bank receives $125,000 for Co-op Community Café

Commentator/Courier photo by Justin Seward Members of the Medicine Hat Fire Department, South Country Co-op, Medicine Hat and District Food Bank and Mayor Ted Clugston were on hand for the $125,000 cheque presentation from Co-op’s Community Spaces program at the Food Bank’s Food and Wellness Centre on June 14.

By Justin Seward

Commentator/Courier

The Medicine Hat and District Food Bank were the recipients of  $125,000 in funding through the Co-op Community Spaces grant.

The funds were officially handed over at the Food Bank’s soon-to-be-opened Community Food and Wellness Centre on June 14 for the building of a Co-op Community Café.

“We want all of our community to come out and be a part of the café,’” said Celina Symmonds, Food Bank executive director.

“Whether you come as a volunteer, a client or you just come as a consumer. Come and hang out and be a part of it. I think since COVID what we’ve realized really strongly is that food sustainability for the first time in Canada, we all kind of felt a little worried about it. I think that everyone now needs to come together around this issue and work together with our local grocers, with our local people to ensure everybody in our community has food sustainability.”

Additionally, there will be an emergency food pantry, a garden, children’s play space and outdoor seating where the community can gather.

“Medicine Hat was one of the largest grants that they (Co-op) gave out this year and we’re very blessed to be a part of a community that supported us to do this, and the Co-op grant will cover a majority of the costs of the café and the play area as well,” said Symmonds.

South Country Co-op’s director of marketing and community relations Carmen Hudson thinks the project speaks to the company’s values.

“It’s about taking care of the community and making sure nobody gets left behind,” said Hudson.

“Then Community Spaces in of itself is about making the places where we live better.”

Hudson felt that area of the city is a community in itse lf.

“I think when you teach people how to feed their families and cook and come together to the greater good of their community—you know that’s what we’re all about. And so to get to be a part of this in this neighbourhood, I think it’s just wonderful.”

The program doled out $1 million to 15 community projects across Western Canada in 2021.

There were 900 grant applications with 15 selected.

Co-op Community Spaces Program was established to promote community Health and well-being buy building a place where Western Canadian can come together, build social connections and enable community developments

The range for grant funding is between $50,000 and $150,000 in capital funding.

The Community Food and Wellness Centre will be opened in the old fire hall on Maple Avenue on July 31.

“So far, timelines are being met and we’re on time mostly,” said Symmonds.

“We should be opened July 31—that’s the hope. There’s still a lot of work to do, but they’re working hard.”

“I think when you teach people how to feed their families and cook and come together to the greater good of their community—you know that’s what we’re all about. And so to get to be a part of this in this neighbourhood, I think it’s just wonderful.”

The program doled out $1 million to 15 community projects across Western Canada in 2021.

There were 900 grant applications with 15 selected.

Co-op Community Spaces Program was established to promote community Health and well-being buy building a place where Western Canadian can come together, build social connections and enable community developments

The range for grant funding is between $50,000 and $150,000 in capital funding.

The Community Food and Wellness Centre will be opened in the old fire hall on Maple Avenue on July 31.

“So far, timelines are being met and we’re on time mostly,” said Symmonds.

“We should be opened July 31—that’s the hope. There’s still a lot of work to do, but they’re working hard.”

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