A soup kitchen popped up late Tuesday morning, Nov. 23, in West Quesnel as community efforts to fill the void left by the temporary closure of the Warrior Song Cafe continue.
Cindy Mighton and Gillian Foster of the Wild Women of the North Society (WWNS) were busy cutting up beets at the Sprout Kitchen, located across from West Park Mall, as they worked to prepare a lunch of roast pork, fresh garden beets and pasta.
“We heard about the Salvation Army’s Warrior Song Cafe closing, and we know that we have a lot of people in need in our community,” Mighton said.
“We’re just getting set up today…and it’s going to be come and go. Unfortunately, with COVID we can’t have people in here, but that is the goal—to get a hot meal in everyone’s belly each day, so no one goes hungry.”
The volunteer-led society will be receiving food donations from Second Harvest that would typically help supply the soup kitchen and food bank operated by the Salvation Army.
Read More: Quesnel scrambling to find gaps created by closure of Warrior Song Cafe, says mayor
Because a shipment was not expected to arrive until Wednesday, WWNS donated most of the food used to make Tuesday’s meal.
The pop-up soup kitchen will operate for the next couple of weeks from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., with lunch starting at noon.
“It’s been awesome,” Foster said.
Rental fees were sponsored by Dawn Harding in memory of her late husband, Ian Harding.
WWNS will be putting their street outreach program held every Tuesday and Friday on-hold as they host the pop-up soup kitchen.
Mighton said they also hope to be able to provide food hampers.
“It all came together kind of overnight, and my hair is probably going to be a lot more grey by the time we’re done, but so far, it’s been put on the floor and going full flare,” she said.
Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Mighton at 250-255-0869. Food donations can be dropped off between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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