Joanne McQuarrie, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | [email protected]
More than a year into its mission to keep good food from being wasted, Jasper Food Recovery (JFR) is continuing to share a huge variety of tasty items with folks in the community.聽
Each week, volunteers pick up food items at contributing businesses including grocery stores, restaurants and caf茅s.
These are items that are usually thrown out, due to expiry dates or a few spots on vegetables and fruits, but still remain edible.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going really well,鈥� said JFR manager Melody Gaboury.
鈥淭he point of our program is to save food from being wasted. It鈥檚 incredible. Sometimes, I look at the food and think, 鈥楬ow could this food have gone in the garbage? Before the program, that鈥檚 when that was happening.鈥�
The innovative service has been popular since it started in fall 2020.
鈥淲e see 25-to-40 people per day; sometimes less, sometimes more,鈥� Gaboury said.
鈥淚 often get the question, 鈥業s food recovery for people in need?鈥� The answer is yes and no. Food recovery is for everyone. If someone鈥檚 worried about taking food from someone who needs it, come at the end of the shift. There鈥檚 always bread. There鈥檚 more than enough for everyone.鈥�
The list of contributing businesses is long: Nesters, Pursuit, Petro-Canada gas stations, Shell gas station, Tags, Bear鈥檚 Paw Caf茅, The Other Paw Bakery Caf茅, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, Coco鈥檚 Caf茅, Syrahs of Jasper, the Olive Bistro & Lounge, Kumama Bistro & Canteen, Sunhouse Caf茅, TGP and 7-Eleven.
A few of these businesses make meals out of the donations, also to be donated to community members.
Gaboury said she was happy to add to the list about eight months ago.
鈥淲e鈥檝e picked up two extra (donors) in Hinton鈥攖he two Freson Bros. stores, one on the hill and one in the valley,鈥� she said.
Donated items include produce, canned food, dry, unopened packaged goods and baked goods without perishable filling.
JFR volunteers pick up and take the donations to the Anglican Church Hall.
On Sundays, Thursdays and Fridays from 5 to 6 p.m. and Tuesdays from 12 to 1 p.m., the doors to the hall are opened and folks can pick up the free items that have been set out on tables.
About 18 volunteers work shifts at the church these days.
There鈥檚 a place to pick up items when the church hall isn鈥檛 open.
鈥淲e put a fridge outside (on the porch of the hall); we usually put bread and dairy in it,鈥� Gaboury said.
鈥淧eople can come any time and get it.鈥�
A small donation box is attached to one of the posts there as well.
Volunteers travel to Hinton three days a week to pick up produce, bakery and dairy items at both Freson Bros. stores.
A while back, Gaboury said, 鈥淎n employee with Ledcor reached out to me, letting me know how awesome they think the program is.鈥�
That appreciative person passed information about JFR to their supervisor, who contacted Gaboury.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e on the list this month (to pick up food),鈥� she said.
In addition to the abundance of items that are donated on a regular basis, Gaboury said JFR accepts monetary donations.
鈥淲e started asking for donations at Christmas,鈥� she said.
People can email [email protected] or send a message on JFR鈥檚 Facebook page.
鈥淪o far we鈥檝e raised enough to cover utility costs at the church hall, and pay for a cleaner,鈥� Gaboury said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping for more monetary donations from the shoppers, to help with gas costs for volunteers who travel to Hinton to pick up items.鈥�
Another way to help is using your muscle power, in lieu of making a cash or e-transfer donation.
With the huge amount of snow that fell this year, the areas around the entry and exit points at the church hall get clogged up quickly.
鈥淲e鈥檙e encouraging people to help with shoveling,鈥� Gaboury said.
More help is needed in the volunteer department too.
鈥淲e鈥檇 love to have more volunteers on the rosters for the Hinton pick-up,鈥� Gaboury said.
鈥淚 think a lot of people go to Hinton to shop, and they could help us at the same time.鈥�
Gaboury鈥檚 aim is to help people in other communities start the program, and she鈥檚 already seen it happen.
鈥淎 lady reached out to me from a university on the east coast. Her son was helping in Jasper, and using the program. He sent her pictures of food he was picking up. She wanted a program where she works.鈥�
