Anti-Hunger Coalition Timmins opens new teaching kitchen

Anti-Hunger Coalition Timmins officially opened its industrial kitchen Monday, where it will make meals for the unhoused.

Anti-Hunger Coalition Timmins officially opened its industrial kitchen Monday.

The space is outfitted with commercial-grade appliances as the organization plans to build a community by bringing people together to cook meals.

“I think being in a group of people who all want to learn a similar skill can be very uplifting,” said Kelsey MacDonnell, the coalition’s executive director.

“So creating that community environment, as well as a safe space to make mistakes and be able to learn from them.”

The organization has a big vision for its new kitchen, which is located in the Rick Young Centre.

‘I’ve never made pizza before’

“So we want to be able to … hit a targeted demographic and be able to work through a series with them,” MacDonnell said.

“But we also want to leave it open for an individual to come through the doors and say, ‘I’ve never made pizza before’… great, we can pop up a dough-making workshop.”

Karandeep Kaur, a placement student who’s currently learning at the coalition, said they prepare meals for the unhoused community.

“Or the people who are in need or those who are suffering from hunger,” Kaur said.

“Every Wednesday morning, we do have a pilot breakfast program, and we do give them food that we make muffins in the kitchen -- and even I learned how to make muffins.”

The Ontario Trillium Foundation saw the potential for the kitchen when it awarded more than $170,000 to the coalition in Timmins to make it happen.

“Well, I mean, they were competing with (a lot of) other projects across the province, and they’re all worthwhile, but it was such a great need,” said Steve Kidd of the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s grant review team.

“It was all a function of overcoming the pandemic and like most not-for-profits, they were in a situation where they really needed funding, and they came back with a very good business plan.”

MacDonnell said the kitchen is also available to rent and details are available on the Anti-Hunger Coalition’s website.