FoodMesh celebrates 1 year of feeding folks
By Joan Janzen
FoodMesh in Kindersley just celebrated its first anniversary on July 5th. Yes, it was only one year ago that the program started. Since then, it has positively impacted people in Kindersley, Kerrobert, Coleville, Flaxcombe, Oyen, Eston, Eatonia, Leader, Brock and Rosetown.
In July of 2021, Barbe Dunn and the group of volunteers had no idea how important FoodMesh would become in mid-2022 as food prices and essentials such as gas became inflated in price. Food distribution gives folks more money to fill their gas tank or plate a vehicle.
In one year, FoodMesh distributed 9,818 kg of produce, 5,285 kg of grocery, 2,761 kg of bakery, 1,836 kg of meat/seafood, 1,181 kg from the deli, and 13,277 kg of dairy. That equals a total of 34,155 kilograms of rescued food and 62,000 meals. Patrons also appreciate occasional pet food donations from Pet Value and additional bread and bakery donated by a local food store. Various people in the community periodically donate gently used clothing and miscellaneous items.
Costs incurred by the local group were the purchase of a used van for pickups and deliveries, additional freezers and a commercial dehydrator. They also need to supplement their food supply by purchasing meat and other food products.
FoodMesh now has a group of approximately 30 volunteers who contribute over 70 hours of volunteer time each and every week. Justine Jenkins, who volunteers once a week, said she loves connecting with the people of our community and hearing their stories and seeing them leave with a smile. “Doing this type of volunteering helps you begin to understand the complex needs of our community and where the gaps are. It is just overall rewarding.” She also said that the welcoming atmosphere at FoodMesh removes the stigma of needing help.
The various food departments pull products before their best-before dates and box them up. Food pickups at Buy-Low Foods are done Monday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons and then transported to the church kitchen for sorting. In the evening, another group of volunteers put out the food and welcome people as they register at the door. Limited space in the kitchen allows two households to shop at a time. There’s lots of quality food to choose from, consisting primarily of produce, dairy and bread. Friday’s food pickup is taken to Dawnview apartments where the food is distributed.
FoodMesh is not only operating in Kindersley; the network is made up of over 2,500 organizations. FoodMesh helps organizations waste less and feed more. Since 2017, this food recovery service has been assisting businesses in diverting the maximum volume of unsalable food away from landfills and onto the plates of people who need it.
The problem is that 58% of all food produced in Canada is never consumed, and 86% of that waste occurs along the supply chain. The good news is over 50% of that waste is avoidable and can be used by the one in eight families in our communities who are experiencing food insecurity. The FoodMesh organization acknowledges that there isn’t a food shortage problem; there is a connection problem, and that’s where FoodMesh comes in. Their mission is: “Waste less. Feed more. Save money.”
This was the first food pickup for FoodMesh on July 5, 2021.
