General News

Soup for the hungry

October 5, 2017

Grade 12 students from North Hastings High School prepare to cook soup for the North Hastings Community Cupboard. / SUBMITTED

By Sarah Sobanski

North Hastings Community Cupboard is planning to keep those in need warm this giving season with homemade soup.

Ongoing initiatives at the Cupboard include Soup for Health and Support a Senior. Both provide healthier diets for patrons of the food bank with fresh cooked soup instead of canned.

“That started with me going to a senior and saying I hope this lasts you for two weeks,” said Cupboard executive director Lorie Bird, holding up two small cans of soup. She said canned soups are high in sodium and not very good for anyone.

Soup for Health is in operation with Bancroft’s Foodland. Those looking to donate can purchase brown bags filled with ingredients to help a family make their own soup.

“Then what we had was everything to help people make their own soup, [but] then when the seniors were coming in, they were saying, ‘Oh I’d love to but I can’t. I don’t have the stove, I don’t have the freezer [and or] I can’t stand too long,’” explained Bird.

These conversations led to the Support a Senior initiative. A donation of $90 goes towards a Good Food Box — or a box filled with fresh fruits and veggies.

This year, ingredients from the boxes that can help make soups are sent to North Hastings High School where Grade 12 students taking cooking classes are turning the produce into fresh soups.

Bird said the soup should start coming soon. She also noted that the Cupboard is always looking for more volunteers. Its also looking for more members to sit on its board.

She added, “We’ve done some great changes already. Our gardens have done well this year and we’re hoping to do more collaboration with North Hastings Community Trust and any other community organizations that would like to work more closely with us.”

         

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