‘No questions asked’: Cambridge initiative offers free meals while building community connection

A Cambridge initiative is offering free meals while building community connection. CTV's Karis Mapp has the story.

Dozens of Cambridge community members gathered at the Freedom Centre on Tuesday evening for a free hot meal as part of a local initiative aimed at reducing isolation and strengthening community connections.

The Cambridge Neighbourhood Table (CNT) is hosted by the Kinbridge Community Association and operates at four rotating locations across the city.

“We run a meal, but it’s more than just a meal program,” Kinbridge co-executive director Taylor Bulstrode explained. “The goal is to connect neighbours, decrease isolation and have folks come together.”

Meals are prepared by volunteers and vary week to week based on available resources, many of which come from the food bank.

“If they come see us on Monday, we don’t want them eating the same thing on Friday. So, we will alternate between chicken, turkey, pastas, soups, whatever we can get our hands on,” said CNT coordinator Karen Lockhart-Dragun.

Vegetarian and halal options are also offered.

The program’s slogan, “no questions asked”, means anyone can stop by, regardless of their financial or housing situation.

“It doesn’t matter if you can afford the meal or not. It’s all free, barrier free. You don’t even need to provide your actual name,” Bulstrode said.

Kelly, a senior who has attended the dinners regularly, said the program provides both warmth and connection.

“It’s just so nice and it’s warm. It’s better than being cold,” she said. “If everyone’s had a first round, there’s always seconds and it’s really nice. Or, if you bring a container, you can take a little home.”

Organizers say attendance typically ranges from 50 to 100 people, depending on the location, with demographics varying by site.

“[At] Kinbridge’s site, you see about 30 to 40 per cent are youth and children and families in that space. [At the] Freedom Centre, we have a lot of seniors and families here,” Bulstrode explained. “There are transient folk who are coming in and joining as well.”

While some attend primarily for the food, others come for the social connection.

“A meal isn’t necessarily for those that are hungry. They’re for people who need a sense of belonging to deal with that loneliness, to create a friendship,” said Rosemary Redshaw, chair of the Freedom Centre’s board of directors.

The initiative first launched in 2019 with funding from Cambridge city council. That funding ended in 2024, and a private donor has since stepped up to support the program for three years.

“We really need donors and people to come on board and join us in this project to keep it running past those three years,” Bulstrode said.

Meals are currently served three times a week, with hopes of expanding to five nights, though organizers say that would require additional volunteers.

“We need them because it is very hard work,” Lockhart-Dragun said. “You are basically running a restaurant without getting paid.”

Anyone interested in getting involved can visit Kinbridge’s website.