St. Columba’s Food Ministry
Community Outreach
Through Food
At St. Columba, we believe that food is a vital focus that connects us to one another and to God, and through it we can offer hospitality to a hungry community. Hunger is not limited to the need for food; many hunger for community, meaning, authenticity, support, and direction. When we share food, we share something important about ourselves. When we gather to eat together, we form a community.
As St. Columbans, we receive nourishment for our hunger when we know that we are loved by God, when we work together, and when we know that we are a part of a community that cares about us. During special Sunday services, we share a meal and reflect on hunger and nourishment. We seek to share that sense of nourishment with others.
Maywood Luncheons
EDWIN-CRAWFORD RESIDENCE
We live in a community where seniors often go hungry.
Since 2016, St. Columba’s Food Ministry has been providing a monthly luncheon at the Edwin-Crawford Senior’s Residence. The project has grown into a true community building success story incorporating both individuals and organizations in providing food items, volunteers, as well as entertainment and informative presentations.
St. Columba Gardens
In 2017 the Food Ministry was the recipient of a $15,000 grant from TD Bank’s “Friends of theEnvironment Foundation.”
We proceeded to create our “Community Harvest Garden,” consisting of 8 raised garden beds which are made available to the community.
Additionally, to these raised beds, we also have a large garden situated on the green space south of the property. This bed is used to grow produce which is used in the preparation of meals for our various food events such as First Fridays and the Maywood Luncheons.
With the pandemic restricting some of these events, the garden harvest was primarily donated to our local food bank, the West Island Mission.
Marché St Columba
St. Columba’s main fund-raising event is the Marché St. Columba. Due to COVID restrictions, what used to be a fun-filled, in-person event was revamped into two, separate pre-order Marchés, where customers order from an on-line catalogue, and then at their allotted time slot, come to the St. Columba parking lot for a non-contact pickup. Once again, this fall, the Marchés will follow the same pattern. Stay tuned for fall 2023 dates and catalogues.
The majority of the preparations for the Marchés take place every Monday and Wednesday during the fall and involve as many volunteers as possible. Although, we miss the in-person aspect of the Marchés of the past, we continue to use the fundraising event as an opportunity to build community within St. Columba and with the larger community outside our walls.
INQUIRY
If you have any questions about St. Columba’s food ministry please contact the Food Ministry Coordinator, Nadia Prevost, at nadia@stcolumba.ca.