A community meal program in Kitchener is seeing a growing number of families turn to its doors for food as organizers say rising costs continue to put pressure on local residents. Tiny Home Takeout, a charitable organization that works under St. Mary’s Parish, held its annual Hungry No More fundraiser Sunday, bringing together food vendors, entertainment, a silent auction and other activities to raise money for the program. Amy Cyr, the program’s co-ordinator and head chef, said the event is now in its sixth year and is designed to bring people together regardless of their ability to contribute financially. “The idea is that we wanted to position ourselves in the downtown core and ensure that we were offering food at a price that everybody can afford,” Cyr said. “If you are able to leave a donation, fantastic. And if you’re not, that’s cool too. We just want to ensure that everybody gets a good meal because we believe that everybody deserves one.” Demand continues to grow Organizers said the number of people accessing the program has increased significantly in recent years. Cyr said the program averaged about 240 people a night last year, but is now seeing roughly 300 to 320 people on an average summer night. The increase has also changed the demographics of the people coming through the doors. “So, right on in our beginning, it was a lot of single guys. And then it was a lot of single women, and then there was a lot of couples,” Cyr explained. “But in the last year and a half, two years, the number of one-parent families has increased significantly. We’re seeing a lot more kids, we’re seeing a lot more parents and we’re seeing a lot more families.” Michelle Lantink, who has volunteered with Tiny Home Takeout for five years, said more families are now coming with their children because they are struggling to put food on the table. “People are having to make decisions between paying rent and putting food on the table,” she said. Food without judgment Tiny Home Takeout serves a full-sized meal and does not require people to demonstrate that they are experiencing homelessness or have a low income to access the program. Jesse Warren, a volunteer who has worked with the program for about three and a half years, said food insecurity remains closely connected to other challenges facing people in the community. “Food insecurity isn’t going away anytime soon,” Warren said. “And I think that’s also part and parcel with the housing issue.” Warren said the program does not assess or judge people who arrive for a meal. “It doesn’t matter if they walk up barefoot or if they come in a car,” Warren said. “We feed everybody.” The meals typically include calzones, with other food changing seasonally. In the summer, the program serves salads, while winter offerings include soups, stews and chili. The organization also had a garden this year, helping offset some produce costs and providing fresh vegetables for meals. Volunteers at the centre More than 200 volunteers help operate the program, according to organizers. One volunteer, who spent nearly 31 years with Waterloo Regional Police Service before retiring, said she began volunteering about 18 months ago as a way to give back to the community. “I absolutely love it,” Brenna Bonn said. “It’s so meaningful to feed the community.” Bonn said she has also noticed more people needing to access community resources and facing difficult choices about how to spend their money. For community member Will Ramirez, Tiny Home Takeout creates a sense of community for people who may otherwise feel isolated. “It’s the sense of being together and smiling together and sitting down and having a coffee with people in need,” he said. “People need to sit down and have a coffee with somebody and have a smile.” Fundraising for the year ahead The Hungry No More event is one of Tiny Home Takeout’s major fundraisers. According to volunteers, the kitchen operates at a high cost and relies on fundraising to continue providing meals. Cyr said organizers were hoping to raise more than $150,000 through this year’s event, after raising about $185,000 last year. The program operates five days a week, from Tuesday to Saturday, serving meals between 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Cyr said the organization is prepared to adjust its operations if demand continues to increase. “The need is going to continue to increase, and we’re going to continue to try and do our best to meet that need.” For organizers and volunteers, the fundraiser is ultimately about keeping a community meal available to anyone who needs it. “We are here for everybody,” Cyr said. “And if you’re able to donate, you’re supporting the program. And if you can’t donate, that’s cool too. We’re just happy that you came.”
