Drop-in at The Bridge receives $88,000 grant to help those who face food insecurity

Drop-in at The Bridge has announced the receipt of an $88,000 Ontario Trillium Seed Grant to strengthen its programs to assist people who face food insecurity, and foster a more engaged and valued community around them.

Executive director Wes Larson thanked the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Ontario government for this generous support.

He said the goal is to support the efforts of the Kincardine Food Bank by offering additional days each week for families to access groceries, providing a supplemental resource for those facing food-related challenges.

As part of this initiative, Drop-in at The Bridge will open a free food store at its location in downtown Kincardine, available twice per week for families registered with the local food bank.

“To further empower families, we are offering free cooking lessons led by a registered nutritionist, focusing on simple and nutritious recipes,” said Larson. “We’ve also joined Second Harvest’s Food Rescue program, connecting us with local stores to reclaim food close to expiration, which will allow us to provide even more to our community while reducing food waste.

“Thanks to this funding, we’ll hire a part-time cook to oversee food preparation and volunteer co-ordination. This role will also involve supervising our cooking classes, ensuring a supportive and organized experience for all participants.

“We look forward to bringing these new programs to life, working alongside the Kincardine Food Bank, and strengthening our community connections through food, learning, and shared experiences.”

For more information, contact thebridge746@gmail.com.



Drop-in at The Bridge executive director Wes Larson (left), Randy Smith and Phillip Craig enjoy the Country Harvest fund-raiser held in October at the Underwood Community Centre; photo courtesy of Drop-in at The Bridge