Pangnirtung food pantry puts new spin on food security
Food pantry gives out home cooked recipes along with food hampers, served 64 families this week
A new project in Pangnirtung is looking at food security in a different way.
Members received frozen fish, frozen vegetables and rice at the food pantry's fourth food distribution on Monday. It served 64 households; about 150 adults, and 140 children.
"The idea was to be able to be able to engage and talk about nutrition, talk about healthy meal alternatives, Allowing people to acquire some skills, like around cooking," said Rose-Desiree Ze-Meka, the pantry coordinator.
Ze-Meka said in addition to the main ingredients, community members have a choice of three items out of a list, like personal products, baby products, coffee, tea or sugar. She said donations come from the Co-op and Northern stores and from communities throughout Canada.
The recipes were developed by the department of health, said Ze-Meka.
"We have members who don't know how to cook and find the recipes really helpful, or they have their own recipes they use. Or try a new recipe. It really targets everyone on that spectrum. Whether they're experienced, or feel like they don't know how to cook."
The Pangnirtung model could spread to other communities in the territory. Ze-Meka has been approached by other groups or individuals who are interested in starting their own food pantries.
The food pantry group developed a strategic plan, operational and volunteer manuals, said Ze-Meka, "so that's been very helpful for other groups."
Ze-Meka said distributions take place on the 8th and 28th of each month at the green portable. She said families can only receive one hamper a month.
But she said the doors are open to anyone who's struggling — you just need to show up.