Community Matters Serves Plenty of Plates

We were so happy to recently work alongside A Better Life Foundation (ABLF) to serve the community living in the Downtown East Side. We’re excited to share the meaningful mission this organization stands behind and inspire others to consider helping however they can.

ABLF voices, “When we start with food security, we can start to heal our communities. Scratch-made recipes and meals cooked from the heart are a conduit to convene change makers, create radical spaces of inclusion and innovate community-forward programming that prioritizes sustainable environmental practices”.

Food security is such a prevalent need in this community. Through the organization's program, Plenty of Plates, volunteers rally together to prepare a delicious 3-course sit-down meal in the legendary Save On Meats building for those in the neighborhood. The Plenty of Plates program is an opportunity for families, friends, and colleagues to connect by providing attention and dignified meals to those in need.

Our Community Matters team is always dedicated to living our DNA of ‘making a difference’ and being an active part in our community. This was a perfect opportunity as one of our core missions is to support individuals facing barriers. Our team partnered with volunteers from ABLF, to prepare and serve a healthy and hearty home-cooked meal to over 50 guests.

While the kitchen prepared meals to go out, other members of our team greeted the guests, had the privilege of hearing their stories, and made sure that they were taken care of. The night started off with a salmon & potato cake appetizer, followed by a homemade lasagna bolognese, and we finished the night with a delicate honey & lemon cake for dessert. At the end of the night, all the leftovers were shared with others in the community to take home.

This was a powerful experience and we strongly encourage anyone reading this to take a moment to learn more about what they do and how they are making a difference. The Plenty of Plates program is an opportunity for families, friends, and colleagues to connect over meaningful work. Since 2017, this program has helped serve over 143,000 people. A statistic like that would not be possible without the passion, commitment, and leadership of the ABLF team. https://www.abetterlifefoundation.ca/

Very special thanks to @abetterlifevan for giving us this memorable opportunity. Our team had a chance to connect and bond over the gift of giving. It was a chance to experience firsthand how a little goes a long way. We cannot wait to return.

Also special thanks to @visualcapsules for photographing the event. Check them both out on Instagram.