Growing up in the North End, the founder of Community Helpers Unite calls opening up a community kitchen "heart work."

Brandy Bobier is the founder of Community Helpers Unite (CHU) a non-profit organization out of the North End in Winnipeg. She also runs Leftover Foundation Rescue Food.

"Leftovers is a food rescue agency that is a nationally recognized charity. We take food from donors like distributors, grocery stores, bakeries and coffee shops and redirect food that would otherwise be thrown in the garbage," says Bobier. 

This food donated is good and edible but for supply or other reasons cannot be served. This also keeps extra food out of the landfills.

"This is definitely heart work as opposed to hard work."

"CHU is a group of like-minded individuals who are attempting to build a community kitchen so that we can have high school students from the culinary arts program come and do their practicum or some volunteer hours. They will upcycle meals out of foods we get from Leftover Foundation that can't be given out."

The meals that are created by the students will then be frozen and sent out to the agency, benefitting all involved.

"In the evenings, [the community kitchen] will be producing larger scale meals that other agencies can serve on the street level."

Bobier says that to get this kitchen up and running will cost a total of $65,000 and half of that is already raised. 

"We are currently in the permitting process with the City of Winnipeg. The building is located at the corner of Jarvis and McGregor. That is the space that we share with the Leftovers Foundation," she says.

Bobier is hoping to have the community kitchen up and running by July 2021. 

"This is definitely heart work as opposed to hard work. I grew up in the North End and I've known about food security issues from the community that raised me. I think it's awesome that I can take my entrepreneurial skills, my background in construction and project management and make this happen."

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