With a brand-new home that’s already open for business, The Helping Hands society of Cochrane and Area celebrated the launch of their third new food rescue shed on April 16.
April Baird, community engagement and food programs manager, explained that the new food shed, located inside their new office at 244C River Ave, will be operated as a de facto shop, but will continue to give out free rescued food to those in need.
“We have officially opened our third free food shed in the form of a store, anyone is free to shop,” Baird explained. “We’re hopeful for donations towards Helping Hands, after the shop, just to help us recoup some of the massive costs we incur to rescue all of this food.”
This location will be open every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Rather than the 24/7 system provided by the regular food sheds, it will operate during their regular business hours.
“It’s really for anybody who’s been using our free food sheds for a long time and maybe they’d like to give back, or anyone who needs assistance with shopping,” Baird said. “Maybe using the free food sheds is not really an option due to mobility issues or various reasons, this offers them a different opportunity.”
Another benefit is that it can better connect resident with the different services that Helping Hands offers outside of their food rescue program.
“Maybe they need more services or they want to volunteer,” she said. “Maybe they know about us in the food capacity, and then they learn about the nine other programs that we offer.”
Programs Manager, Melia Hayes, said she really hopes residents take the time and feel encouraged to visit their new space.
“Just to say hello, shop with dignity, and know that anyone is welcome,” Hayes said. “You don’t have to be in need to come and shop, you can come and shop, and give back to Helping Hands instead of paying for something that you might buy at the grocery store.”
The biggest factor for Hayes and the team is that it allows for proper conversations with locals and those who use their services.
“We just love the opportunity to have real conversations with people, and that’s exciting,” Hayes said.
Executive director, Laura McDonald, added that it also allows them to have a presence with those who need and use their services.
“Having that opportunity to chat with Helping Hands staff and volunteers isn’t something that you’re always going to find, out in the community sheds,” McDonald said. “You’ll often stumble upon those sheds, and there won’t be anyone from Helping Hands there. So. Here you’ll be able to have a conversation if you wish to, and we genuinely believe that there are people who are looking for ways to say thank you.”
Helping Hands rescues 10,000 kg of food monthly
Through multiple food rescue initiatives that operate anywhere from a daily to monthly basis, Helping Hands rescues upwards of 10,000 kg worth of food per month.
“This leaves us with the need, want, and desire to get that food out to the community of Cochrane, in more places than the free food sheds,” Baird said.
Their existing food rescue model involved quickly picking up food from various locations around Cochrane, and quickly stocking the various food sheds around town. Through this new location, it allows Helping Hands to properly strategize and coordinate their efforts.
“With the warehouse and the store, it gives us the opportunity to really spread that food out and not just only have it go out the two times a day that it serves the shed, but multiple times a day and in multiple ways,” Baird explained.
McDonald said that although she didn’t have the figures on hand at the time, there are several costs involved with operating this system in the community.
“The sheds are expensive. We are constantly doing maintenance on them [and] we have appliances all over the place, full of food,” McDonald said. “We always joke that things are walking away from the sheds all the time. So, constantly replacing items, fixing broken things, and all of the transportation expenses, we incur all of that.”
She added that Helping Hands is now rescuing food from Calgary on a regular basis. A full-time manager is dedicated to exploring food recovery options, in order to offer it back to Cochrane.
“This is all things we shoulder, and we are happy to do so,” McDonald said. “I think that it’s time to talk very openly that this does come at an expense, and if anyone was looking to pour back into the bucket a bit, we want to offer that as well.”
Anyone in the community is free to drop by and access their new location. With all the products being rescued food products, they do not have long shelf lives and need to be constantly taken. Whatever isn’t taken from the store, will simply be placed into the other food sheds in Cochrane.
“Show up and take food, we’re not checking your paperwork,” McDonald said. “This is a resource for everyone. Everyone needs to eat.”
Although they were exhausted leading up to their grand opening, it was all worth it seeing their first “customers” walk through their doors.
“It’s exhilarating,” McDonald said. “I feel like we are really seeing the potential of Helping hands, what community looks like, and I’m so excited to see what this will look like a year from now.”
The Helping Hands staff would like to give a special thank you to all 250 volunteers who help them accomplish every feat they achieve in Cochrane.
