Food security services in Regina
A look at programs in Regina combating food insecurity
Regina is home to many people, and food insecurity is one of Regina’s most threatening social issues, right alongside homelessness, substance abuse, racism and discrimination, and safety. Citizens recognize that folks deserve to live safely and securely, and so, within the last five years, Regina has seen several improvements in its food security services, including the BMO Asahtowikamik Food Hub.
Starting in 2020 in the wake of rampant anxiety surrounding COVID-19 transmission, Regina’s residents found a way to introduce contactless food programs like the Regina Community Fridge. A December 27, 2020 CBC News article details how the program worked. A simple food box was filled with necessary food items like milk, bread, frozen meals, and perogies, and worked similar to little free libraries scattered across the city.
If you had the resources to do so, you could open the box and donate food. For those who used it, you simply opened it and took what you needed. The Regina Community Fridge was started by Danielle Froh and placed behind the Regina Family Pharmacy at 3037 Dewdney Ave.
Since this first fridge was opened, two more have opened in Regina. One at 1510 12th Ave, and another on the east parking lot of the Holy Rosary Cathedral at 2104 Garnet Street. The Regina Community Fridges also have a Facebook page under the same name.
In 2021, Carmichael Outreach, a community-based charity organization, received $15,000 from SGI to fund its Food Security Program. Still, food insecurity is a front-of-mind issue for many Canadians. Recent upward trends in inflation, rising levels of insecure employment, and the lasting effects of COVID-19 all play a role in reducing people’s access to affordable food.
It is very likely that the pandemic contributed to the increased levels of food insecurity in Regina. In 2017 and 2018, The City of Regina estimated only about 15 per cent of people experienced food security. Over the last five years, usage of the Regina Food Bank has increased by 76 per cent.
Break Free Outreach offers The Pantry and The Kitchen to Regina residents. The Pantry is another source of groceries in Regina. Serving the residents of North Central Regina, The Pantry operates on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month.
According to their website, registration for the program requires a Saskatchewan Health card for everyone in the household, as well as proof of address.
The Kitchen is a volunteer-run soup kitchen that offers a daily lunch that “not only fills the stomach but also feeds the soul,” according to their website. The Kitchen also runs community kitchen programs to teach individuals of all ages essential cooking skills.
The BMO Asahtowikamik Food Hub has been a hot topic since it opened, offering a major addition to the food security services already in Regina. As of August 16, the food hub operates to relieve food insecurity in Regina alongside Carmichael Outreach on 11th Ave, the Community Fridges, its parent organization (Regina Food Bank), The Pantry on 766 Angus St, and others.
The Asahtowikamik food hub offers a unique approach to delivering food to the community. Based on a typical grocery store, users get to choose which items they receive instead of accepting what they are handed. Like a grocery store, there will be a point of sales system, however, there is no real money being exchanged.
The food hub’s CEO, John Bailey, said the new hub’s goal is to give people three to five meals per week. An August 15 CBC News article writes that, “When somebody walks to the door at this new food bank, which officially opens for use Aug. 16, they will be greeted by a staff member or volunteer who will make sure they have an appointment and give them a blank shopping list.”
Additionally, the new food hub features a play structure and basketball court with outdoor seating behind the building, making it an attractive opportunity for parents to bring along their children to “shop” at the hub, and then go enjoy the outdoor playground.
Food security is a serious issue in Regina, but local changes can make large impacts.
If you need it, visit a food bank, the hub, or the pantries. If you’re able, consider donating something to the cause. Charities do much to support the cause, but they cannot close the gaps all by their own power. Being social about the issue helps keep resources like food banks, the hub, and community pantries available.
