Serving a simple, hearty meal every week is the goal of the St. Andrew’s free community lunch program but one Cochrane resident explained how it is so much more.
“It’s phenomenal – it brings everyone together,” said Donna LaPorte.
“I tell people going through rough times to come and make some new friends and it will be wonderful.”
LaPorte said she started coming to the weekly lunch programs in 2015, after the death of her husband, Michael, in October 2014.
“After my husband died, my life was broken and I was devastated,” LaPorte said.
“Then I started to get out a little and this was like therapy for me.”
The free community lunch program started as a pilot program in 2015 by Rev. Ray Goodship at the St. Andrew’s United Church. Introduced as a way to bring people from all walks of life together, organizers said they decided to continue the program after they realized the need in the community.
“We wanted a chance for community to come together and meet other people,” said Carole Clement, volunteer of the program for the last two years.
“We encourage people to sit with someone you don’t know – no one eats alone.”
With approximately 50 residents attending the weekly lunches, Clement explained that Goodship had a vision of bringing together the community with a simple meal where no one felt any pressure.
Now two years later, a team of volunteers gets together every Tuesday to make a couple pots of soup with no donations accepted during the hour-long lunch.
“We get our donations during the Sunday service or businesses donate funds but we absolutely do not accept donations on Tuesday,” Clement explained.
Recognized as a group who strives to further causes of equality, the free community lunch program was the winner of the 2017 Cochrane Community Awards Equity and Inclusion Champion of the Year award.
“It’s great for folks who don’t get out enough,” said David Serani, Cochrane resident who nominated the program for the award.
Serani has been attending the community lunches for the last two years with his wife Heather, and encourages people to come out and attend saying it is a great reason to get out of the house and a great place to make friends.
“It gives a great sense of community,” LaPorte said.
This Tuesday was the last lunch for the spring/summer seasons, with the weekly meet-ups to start up again in the fall.
For more information on the free community lunch program, go to standrewsunitedcochrane.com.
