Regina lunch program feeds inner city youth

There is an unfortunate irony playing out here as young, hungry children laugh and play, enjoy a hotdog or two, thanks to a program that provides a free lunch to kids of North Central Regina.

It’s a fun place, but the reality is that the Women of the Dawn Counselling Centre is struggling to offer enough food to go around to the happy kids who’d likely go without lunch if it weren’t for this charity and the donations it receives.

Since ‘The Come and Eat’ lunch program was resurrected at the centre, which is also known as ‘Iskewak Waniskawak’, about a month ago, the number of kids — and their parents — has grown. It has prompted officials to issue a plea to the public for help by donating food or cash to help pay to keep their barbecue running and the ketchup and mustard dispensers full.

“It goes fast. Sometimes one hotdog isn’t enough for a kid who asks for something to eat,” says Chelleah Scales, 20, who is a summer student but also the administrator of the program, which operates on the sidewalk in front of the centre at 3026 Dewdney Ave.

“We need donations of everything — hotdogs, hamburgers, buns,” she added.

The centre decided to offer the program in its new location after residents said there wasn’t a program that offered food to the needy outside of the busy supper program offered at the nearby North Central Family Centre. Lunch programs that operated at other times shut-down over the summer. It didn’t take long for the program to get popular. Now in its fifth week, kids show up in the dozens looking for food on days when the program isn’t even running.

“I think we had 20-to-30 kids — it was a Tuesday, and normally we set up the barbecue on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays,” said Scales.

Scales conceded there are other healthy choices for lunch, but the hotdogs and hamburgers are the one thing they can offer in the numbers that they need.
As the facility’s kitchen is renovated, something the centre is also seeking donations for, it’s hoped more healthy food can be prepared.

Scales had plans to serve canned fruit that had been donated by the food bank, but there was no can opener handy, so those plans had to be pushed back.

The centre is grateful for the cash and donations it’s already received— the  Kiwanis Club provided a barbecue and an extra $1,500 for food. Other businesses have contributed, but it doesn’t take long for its resources to be depleted. It costs about $200 to operate the program for one day.

The centre also collects donations from adults, some of whom are from the area and seeking an inexpensive meal and some are Reginans from other areas of the city who drop by with some donations.

“Some people drive by and see us and give us a donation,” said Scales. We get $5 here, $5 there.”

While Scales has done plenty of cooking, the centre relies on other staff and volunteers to help out.

Skye McKay, 18, who’s in Grade 12 at Balfour Collegiate, helped serve children and prepare meals last summer before she returned this summer.

“I just wanted to try out and lend a hand,” she said.

“It’s always lots of fun. Today I got to goof around with the kids a little bit,” she said, adding that it’s easy to feel charitable when you hear about children going hungry. “Because the kids show up hungry, and most of them are pretty nice. So I like helping out.”

Donations are accepted at the centre of by calling 791-6502 with tax receipts available for those who donate.