A Calgary charity is using a food truck for a one-time initiative to help those in need enjoy good, nourishing meals. On Thursday, the Huggabowl food truck will be hosting a pop-up from noon to 3 p.m. at the corner of First Street and Seventh Avenue S.E. Huggabowl is a charitable organization that serves nutritious meals to anyone who needs one. Whether they have money in their wallet or not. When someone buys a meal, they get a token for the second bowl; which provides one free meal to someone in need. The charity focuses on food accessibility and believes everyone deserves a nourishing meal served with dignity. “Over the past several weeks, we’ve been operating a pop-up electric food truck every Thursday in response to significant changes caused by the closure of Olympic Plaza for redevelopment. As construction has fenced off the area, many people experiencing homelessness, food insecurity, addiction, or marginalization have been displaced, creating a new migratory pattern through the downtown core,” said Tyler Melnyk, Huggabowl’s founder and executive director. A few years ago, Huggabowls would see 60 per cent of its service go to outreach giving through tokens and 40 per cent be from donors and purchases. Now, with a huge decrease in donors and sales, 99 per cent of their service is going towards giving out free meals. The Huggabowl impact From feeding his former high school student, to feeding a homeless eight-month-pregnant mom; Melnyk says that connecting with people living in poverty has humbled him. “I can now put a hard day beside me because clearly people are having a harder day than me, and I’m happy I’m able to come by and do something good for them.” On average, Huggabowls serves around 100 people within two to three hours before running out of food. The charity relies on community partners to help support the high food demand. Huggabowls is partnered with Calgary Parks, Calgary Unitarians and the Aboriginal Friendship Centre. Melnyk says, “We don’t want to be making the food, we want to help local businesses deplete their overstock, avoid unnecessary loss, plan it, and profit for them. That gives us a straight line to a great product that we want to give and then keeps our costs in line.” Huggabowl has positioned their mobile kitchen to help meet the growing need for nutritious meals and human connection. There are many ways to support Huggabowl. Visit the organization’s website to donate a meal or to learn more about the Huggabowl program.
