The Salvation Army food bank in Sudbury expands its offerings to better serve newcomers
Clients at the Salvation Army’s Flour Mill Community Food Bank recently discovered a range of new products waiting for them on the shelves, including cassava flour, red palm oil and a wide range of spices and seasonings.
The organization used money from a 2023 grant from Food Banks Canada to better serve newcomers from countries in Africa and Asia.
“We don’t always necessarily have the kinds of foods that some of our visitors were used to eating in their home countries,” said Miya Bradburn, one of the community ministry officers and pastor of Community Church. and Salvation Army Community Ministries in Sudbury.
“We were hoping to be able to access some foods that would make their home cooking maybe a little more like what they’re used to — or maybe some things that they were missing.”
The organization has seen a growing number of clients from Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, Bradburn said.
“It gives us the feeling of not missing our home”
Additionally, clients who previously used the food bank every few months are now returning every month as rising food prices continue to put pressure on families.
The food bank surveyed its members to find out what products they would like to have access to, she said.
She then purchased the items at stores such as Miteo’s Afro-Caribbean Food Store and Beauty Supply and Bombay Spice.
“They brought us African (stuff) and we love it… because it makes us feel like we’re not missing home,” said Berla, a newcomer from Ghana who has been a client of the food bank for about seven months. CBC agreed not to use his last name.
“They brought special spices that they used to make something called kelewele. So kelewele is basically ripe plantain with other spices. (It’s) so good they have (it) here so we We can enjoy it more and more.”
Donors are encouraged to help keep products on shelves
Other customers are just as surprised and happy to discover the new products, Bradburn said.
“We had family from India,” she said.
“And we have a whiteboard in our reception office where we write down all the different things that we were able to get through the grant. And they saw some of the spices that were available there, and it was a nice surprise for them “
The food bank received a total of $800 from the Food Banks Canada grant, but Bradburn said she hopes to continue offering the new product line even after funding dries up.
Now that they know what people want, they will begin communicating those needs to donors, she said, in hopes of encouraging continued donations of the same items.
“People want to be able to give the things that will be well received,” she added, “and the things that they need most.”
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