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As part of our ongoing commitment to our wider community, Dean Chris recently launched a food drive to help stock the Kits Community Pantry, a wonderful local initiative serving the immediate area.

A parishioner stepped in to help bring this to life by purchasing practical non-perishable foods with the donations and handling the deliveries directly. We sat down with them to talk about what it is like on the ground, the reality of the need in our city, and the quiet moments of grace witnessed along the way.

  1. What usually goes through your mind when you make a drop-off at the Kits pantry?

    It is an honour to be able to directly assist those members of our community that struggle with the high cost of food and housing. I often think that we are only able to help with a small part of the need in the community. I’m impressed at how neat and clean the pantry is kept. The pantry is a great initiative for the immediate local community.

  2. Have there been any particular moments or human connections during your drop-offs that have really stayed with you?

    Yes, the community spirit is amazing. Individuals waiting for new food items at the pantry have graciously helped me unload and stack items in the pantry shelves. Then to watch the kindness of the individuals waiting for food and sharing with others who are waiting. Individual people seemed to be taking just a few items and leaving food for others. One Saturday, I came back to the pantry about 30 minutes after stocking the pantry with about 60 food items and they were all gone. The need is real.

  3. What inspired you to collect donations specifically for this pantry?

    Dean Chris did the collecting of donations and he reached out to help in the community where he had lived at that time. My role was to purchase some practical non-perishable food with the donations and deliver them to the pantry.

  4. What is one thing you'd love to share with our community about why direct giving matters and how it feels to make an impact?

    Yes, every small donation has a big impact on someone’s life even if it’s just one meal. This is an opportunity to meet the needs of people in our community with both respect and kindness in a direct way.