The coordinator of the Warm Belly Kitchen says there was a 118 per cent increase in the number of guests they served during the past year. Amanda Rickard says more than 6,500 people enjoyed a meal at the kitchen located at the Kapuskasing Indian Friendship Centre.
“We had a record month of 821 in October of 2024 and we are attributing that to back to school costs, people getting ready for Christmas and money might have been a little short,” she said.”
Rickard says community support has been a major part of their success this past year. She adds between the number of people helping as volunteers to businesses making donations it’s great to see the warmth.
“We asked businesses to sponsor us for a $500 lunch and that lunch includes soup, salad, a main course desert, coffee, tea, and we really work hard to keep our lunches within that budget,” she said.
Rickard says the kitchen will be ramping up meal sponsorship in September and hopes to have all of the weekly dates filled.
