Six months, 30,000 meals – and more to do!

• 

Details

Published on Sunday, 29 November -0001 16:00

Written by editor

(please share widely)
Thank you for your ongoing support for the Red Cedar Cafe!
Today marks 6 months of operations and serving our 30,000th healthy meal to community members in need! We couldn't do it without your support.
On Easter Weekend in April 2020, we activated our not-for-profit Community Meal Program in response to the pandemic – opening our doors at a time when most social services and food establishments were closing. Since then, we've grown from an ad hoc group of hospitality industry professionals and community leaders into an organization with more than 300 volunteers and partnerships with dozens of local businesses and community organizations.
We've scaled up from 100 meals that first weekend to 2000 meals this week – including 1000 hot meals for unhoused community members and another 1000 tasty frozen meals for other people in need – supporting 500 households across the region, prepared and delivered with love and compassion by our volunteer kitchen and distribution teams, in partnership with the Living and Lived Experience of Homelessness Network, the Quadra Village Community Centre, the Downtown Community Centre, the Oaklands Community Centre, the Fairfield Gonzales Community Association and the Shelbourne Community Kitchen.
We've fueled these operations with volunteer labour, food donations from local suppliers, and generous financial contributions from Khalsa Aid Canada, the City of Victoria and individual donors.
Now, we are calling on the community to step up in a major way by contributing funds to sustain our operations for the next 6 months. We need to raise $120,000 to keep this vital community service going – operating costs for the purchase of raw ingredients, packaging and cleaning supplies; utilities and other facility costs; and labour costs for leadership positions in cooking and distribution to support our volunteer teams.
Please contribute what you can, by etransfer to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., via our website, or by cheque to Red Cedar Cafe, 537 Johnson Street, Victoria, BC V8W 1M2. And please share this message widely.
The extraordinary circumstances of Covid-19 will continue through the winter, including social isolation and economic hardship for many low-income people, seniors and people with disabilities. We will continue to meet community needs with your support.
Thank you!
The Red Cedar Cafe Team