Everyone Eats Brandon
By Ronnie Kayla Neiman
Everyone Eats is a not-for-profit community initiative developed in partnership with the Brandon Food Council, John Howard Society, Brandon University Food Services and Assiniboine Community College in response to increasing rates of food insecurity, nutrition insecurity and food waste. The organizations mission is to provide top quality, nutritionally balanced meals at a price point that everyone can afford so that there are no barriers to good food.
The statement that the web page pertaining to Everyone Eats Brandon says that “Food insecurity, before the pandemic affected 14.4% of households in Manitoba and more than one in five children. The majority of these individuals being employed or on social assistance clearly indicates that current minimum wage and social assistance levels are not enough to meet basic needs.” The added issue of unemployment due to the pandemic, the ability to pay for and attain food is even more difficult.
Everyone Eats is an initiative to stand in the gap, to assist folks in meeting immediate nutritional needs while also providing the dignity of contributing to one’s meal in the amount you are able. The program plans to maintain the creation of 200 meals per day. People can order meals in quantities of one to a maximum of eight per day. The meals can be picked up at Brandon University or delivered by a volunteer if needed.
In starting this type of program, the hope is to create a universally acceptable, barrier-free platform that the general public can use to work together in order to build a healthy and empowered community. Donations and volunteers are always welcome to organizations that look to promote cooperation and to help navigate the world as we know it during the pandemic.