In the fall of 2023, Danielle King (Kitch’Inn Hospitality Group), Jennifer Laughlin (Schoolhouse Gluten Free Gourmet) and Norberto Cáceres (Head Chef at Betty’s at The Kitch) discussed the challenges to food security in our community in the current socioeconomic climate.

Particularly about the choices people must make when the circumstances leave them depending on social services and programs, such as Food Banks, when they have specific dietary needs or different circumstantial challenges. Understanding that poverty is multilayer and complex, affected by different factors such as the price of housing, rising cost of food and goods, lack of sustainable work opportunities, mental health and/or addiction issues, etc. and that food insecurity is not an isolated issue but rather a consequence of poverty, they decided to look further into the issue and are compelled to ‘start something’ to support our neighbours currently struggling.

The natural next step was to meet with the Mahone Bay Food Bank and learn more about their successes and challenges and where Shore, as a group, could fit to support now, and expand later, the services currently offered.

They discovered the Food Bank was vital but currently insufficient and immediately used their contacts and influence to find a $20,000 unattached donation to give the Food Bank some much needed relief.

They also learned about the crucial need of some Food Bank clients for prepared, wholesome and nutritious meals, and a delivery service. Due to different challenges like mobility issues, inaccessible schedules, lack of cooking equipment or infrastructure or unable to afford gas to drive to the Food Bank, a delivery service of both the regular hamper and prepared meals was the initial missing piece. So, they sprang into action and started utilizing surplus and privately funded/donated food from their establishments. They prepared 200+ ready made meals for Mahone Bay Food Bank from November 2023 to August 2024, while simultaneously securing a volunteer driver and delivery person.

We need access to a community space with a commercial kitchen to effectively and sustainably continue to create and store ready-made meals and any food donations that come in during the month. This will help us seize opportunities for all food donations and reduce the cost to produce meals. This in turn will allow us to increase the amount of meals we can produce.

Food is just one issue. Again, by having a dedicated community space with a dedicated staff person, we can do even more for our community by offering programs and services for free to all who need access and to have a community hub for people to connect and gather.

These insights inspired us to launch Shore Group, a non-profit to deliver a needs-based, sustainable and reliable service for our neighbours in need.