Through the month of December, CBC will probably be working with BGC Dawson to showcase tales of individuals in our group who’re making a distinction for our “Make the Season Form” marketing campaign. For extra tales and to study extra about this marketing campaign, go to cbc.ca/bekindqc and make a donation here.
On any given Wednesday, you may go to BGC Dawson in Verdun with a $10 invoice and get your self three full, wholesome meals for the remainder of the week.
As a part of their meals sustainability program, the group centre within the southwestern Montreal borough presents meals produced from surplus produce and different gadgets from their meals financial institution as soon as every week.
What is not used on the meals financial institution is rigorously sorted by the cooking group, who then remodel all of it into wholesome meals. From spaghetti to veggie curry to kimchi, they will make as much as 200 meals per week.
“Individuals are getting fed straight up,” mentioned Marc Mckeown, the pinnacle chef at BGC Dawson. “There is no ifs, ands or buts about it. And you may relaxation straightforward understanding that in case you donate right here, it may the precise place and going again to the group.”
The frozen meals by no means price greater than the steered donation of $3. The purpose, its employees says, is meals sustainability and meals safety of their group.
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BGC Dawson in Montreal’s Verdun borough is working to supply the group inexpensive meals. As a part of their meals sustainability program, the group centre presents meals produced from surplus produce and different gadgets from their meals financial institution as soon as every week. 2:09
If individuals cannot afford the steered worth, Mckeown says they will not be turned away.
Single mother Louise Gingerysty mentioned she loves getting frozen meals from the market as a result of it permits her to spend extra time together with her daughter. As a substitute of spending an hour within the kitchen after work, she will simply pop a meal within the oven.
“I went, ‘Wow I am by no means cooking once more!'” she mentioned. “For $12 I am going to choose up two meals and two desserts and we have now sufficient for dinner and leftovers for lunch.”
Previous to the pandemic, BGC Dawson’s group lunch program would get individuals collectively for a meal and to speak each Tuesday, the place anybody was welcome to affix.
When COVID-19 hit, they needed to discover a solution to adapt to well being restrictions — and the frozen meals program was began.
Meals insecurity is a rising downside in Montreal. In accordance with Centraide of Greater Montreal, slightly below 30 per cent of adults had hassle getting meals throughout lockdowns.
With many residents shedding work because of the pandemic, volunteers say they’ve seen an increase in demand from individuals who lack entry to safe meals sources within the final two years.
“Individuals are actually grateful, and we have now a number of shoppers,” mentioned volunteer and longtime member Elizabeth Shearon.
“They can not imagine that we are able to produce what we do at such a low price and [so] tasty.”
As a part of their sustainability mandate, nothing is ever wasted. What is not used finally ends up being recycled or composted, so not one of the meals will see the within of a rubbish bin.
“I do actually really feel that this program and applications like it might probably function a extremely good mannequin for a way we proceed sooner or later,” mentioned meals recuperator and cook dinner Kasha Chang.
“For us to have the ability to contribute to not solely lowering meals waste however really feeding households and seniors and people who find themselves in want of meals within the space is so necessary.”
