NEWS FOR NEWCOMERS

SEVA FOOD BANK’S COMMUNITY TEACHING KITCHEN

The Seva Community Teaching Kitchen provides cooking classes to those most in need, to improve long term health and social outcomes for families in the surrounding community.

“By learning to make simple meals using the food on our food bank shelves, families can stretch their food dollars,” says Rasheeda Qureshi, Seva Food Bank’s executive director.

In the future, Seva aspires to improve economic outcomes by offering culinary skills training. “Culinary skills are employable skills,” adds Qureshi.

“We are so pleased that this labour of love is finally open,” says Manraj Pannu, chair of Seva’s Kitchen Launch task force. “Our kitchen offers a warm and welcoming place for everyone in the community. We are excited about the possibilities for enhanced skills development and improved outcomes in community health and wellbeing.”

Seva Food Bank first opened its doors in September 2010 and now serves 900 families each month across both locations.

The Seva Community Teaching Kitchen was built at the Malton site to align with their mission to positively impact local communities by acting on the basic Sikh tenets of sarbat da bhalla (the wellbeing of all), chardi kala (eternal optimism) and seva (selfless service).

AHMADIYYA MUSLIM JAMAAT’S SHELTER BUS PROJECT

The Shelter Bus project, launched in December, is a coach bus, outfitted with 20 beds, a kitchenette, lounge space, and bathrooms, providing those in need with a place to sleep and eat during the harsh Canadian winter.

Hot meals will be provided to people in various neighbourhoods throughout Toronto.

It will be making its way through downtown for the next couple of months, until and including March.