“The Grande Prairie Friendship Centre (GPFC) was created to deliver programs that meet the needs of Indigenous people in our community migrating to urban centres. We strive to bridge the cultural gap between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities through a wide variety of initiatives. Among many of their initiatives is the Community Kitchen.”
In 2019 the Salvation Army and the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre joined forces to create the Community Kitchen. Both organizations were offering meals to those experiencing food insecurity and through combining efforts and resources, are now running the Community Kitchen out of the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre, sharing staff and costs. The Kitchen provides three hot meals per day, Monday to Friday, to those in need.
The Grande Prairie Friendship Centre Community Kitchen brings people together to share food, cultures, and stories. Community based cooking opportunities allow individuals to build relationships with each other and reduce social isolation while learning how to cook different dishes. The kitchen works to bridge these connections across different cultural and generational groups. Community kitchen sounds like “Soup Kitchen”, but we assure you the Community Kitchen at the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre is not a soup kitchen. We have a highly qualified culinary team with a Red Seal Chef leading the team and are serving lavish meals year round. The kitchen team is available to assist anyone who needs help to access all their program has to offer free of cost.
The Centre also has a “One Window Resource” that offers a welcoming drop in space with services and support Monday through Friday. The outreach staff provide resources, referral supports, cultural supports, a free clothing room, washroom facilities as well as access to computers, use of internet and phones and skill enhancing workshops. Among the three hot meals per day, coffee, tea, juice, water and snacks are also provided. Snacks are dependent upon donations from places like OMG Cupcakes.
We have created a Community Kitchen and Foodbank Fund where monies are allocated to our community organizations as needed. Visit here to make a donation – http://ow.ly/Oaj450yRl0D or call our office at (780) 538-2820.
When donating to your local Community Kitchen or food bank, consider starting with your wallet. Donating money not only gives these organizations flexibility over which supplies — including fresh foods and paper products — to offer but also lets them decide when to refresh their stocks.
We, as a Community Foundation, are working to provide supports that will assist and help those most vulnerable in our community. Please feel free to reach out to our Foundation Team with any questions or concerns.
