People in Grande Prairie in search of a hot meal will now be able to find it in one place. The Salvation Army and the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre have joined forces to open what they call the Community Kitchen.
Both groups previously ran their own hot meal service but Friendship Centre Executive Director Miranda Miranda Laroch says people asked to have both in a central location. Â
“Sometimes it’s confusing to people which night we’re hosting supper and which night The Salvation Army is hosting supper. This way it’s just going to be in one spot.”
“Our hours are going to be from 7 a.m. till 7 p.m. so it can be also a warming centre for people to be able to stay throughout the day if they need to,” she adds.
The Salvation Army soup kitchen will now be run out of the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre in order to give the group more space to run their food bank operation. Laroche says she’s excited to join forces with another local organization.
“It’s all for the community. The more we can work together with partners and with community, I think the more it benefits people.”
Laroche says they started planning for the community kitchen last December and were able to start it with the help of a collaboration grant from the city worth $72,000.
The program will run five days a week with hopes to later extend it to seven days a week in the future. The first day of joint service will be on November 25th.
