DP World Canada continually endeavours to build awareness about organizations doing important work in our communities. With so many changes occurring in the past year, updating the activities of affected organizations is also important. One of these is the Nanaimo Community Kitchens Society, which we wrote about in 2019. It’s an organization dedicated to providing healthy, nutritious meals to those in need.
The Impact
Nanaimo Community Kitchens (NCK) was founded in 1991 from one dietitian’s initiative. She saw potential for accessible, hands-on cooking programs for low-income people in the community. Now NCK helps less those fortunate, children through seniors, by cooking a nutritious meal together with them.
The most notable difference between NCK and other food support programmes is that instead of simply dropping food off, Nanaimo Community Kitchens helps people make their own food and learn what makes a nutritious meal. Learning these healthy food principles helps them in establishing food security on their own.
Adapting to COVID-19
Like most of the world, COVID-19 has impacted NCK. The organization has had to find an alternative to in-person workshops as a result. They now offer cooking kits, which are delivered to people and contain recipe cards and all ingredients needed for them to cook a meal. A teaching video and nutrition information is also provided with the kit.
Nanaimo Community Kitchens’ programme called Bellies to Babies has been impacted as well. The programme helps pregnant individuals and new parents learn the importance of feeding their little ones properly. Bellies to Babies has gone online with workshops and tutorials, and their resident dietician does Instagram Live sessions where she prepares food in the meal kit with participants.
Beyond Full Bellies
More than just providing nutritious meals, NCK is an opportunity to make social connections, especially during a time of social distancing. For many, having someone to check in with on a weekly basis makes a huge difference in morale.
It’s also empowering for people to make their own food and to be able to understand what healthy eating means without the confusion. NCK follows the latest Canadian food guide and highlights the importance of providing a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables in each meal.
Additionally, if someone is struggling with mental health, NCK can also refer them to the right people and thus bridge the gap between their own food services and other services.
Community Partners
NCK receives support from many other community organizations. A programme called Cooking Out of the Box, for example, is run in partnership with Nanaimo Foodshare. NCK provides a cooking program based on the fresh fruits and vegetables found in the Good Food Box. Nanaimo Foodshare creates food boxes full of fresh fruits and vegetables; NCK then adds extra ingredients and a recipe card to these boxes to turn it into a nutritious meal kit.
Nanaimo Community Kitchens also partners with the Nanaimo Aboriginal Center to make 250 Aboriginal-focus kits each month. These kits contain ingredients significant to Aboriginal people (e.g., salmon, prawns, tuna), with corresponding instruction videos made by students.
Get Involved
More than ever, people need to eat healthy. That, coupled with the inability to eat out at restaurants, has made NCK a greater necessity. Those looking to get involved with Nanaimo Community Kitchens can donate money directly, through grocery store gift cards, or through fundraisers like NCK’s silent auction. Volunteering for activities like food prep is another way to get involved.
NCK also appreciates interaction on social media. People can follow the organization on Instagram and Facebook, as well as liking, commenting, and sharing posts. This helps expand their online presence and reaches those interested in learning about healthy eating.
Visit Nanaimo Community Kitchens’ website to learn more about the nonprofit and their programmes. Emails about how businesses can get involved are also welcome.