Food & Community in Saint John
Have you ever been in a slump when you just cannot figure out what to eat? Or you have no desire to cook, even if your fridge may be full? Or else have you had a time when the fridge has rarely been full and your experience of food has been stressful, to say the least?
These were the types of situations that the team from Pennies & Sparrows at Stone Church in uptown Saint John wanted to address when they started the Foodie Fridays program. Now in its third year, Foodie Friday is a time for people from all walks of life to prepare and eat a hot meal together with others in community. It's a type of community kitchen and was inspired by Food For All NB's Community Mentorship training.
Every Friday at 11:30am, a group of around twelve adults (unless someone brings their kid when school's off) gather in the kitchen at Stone Church and get their bandanas and aprons on. Everyone gets in line to wash their hands, then it's time to choose what kitchen task each person wants to do today. Some will chop veggies, others cook the meat, others bake the dessert. It takes many hands to make light work!
One of the focuses of Foodie Friday is to introduce people to different types of food, such as meals from different cultures around the world. Homemade hummus and flatbread, shakshuka, tacos and guacamole, chicken curry and wonton soup have all been on the menu at different times. Another focus is on sourcing local produce and meat. Through the generosity of private donors and a large grant from the Saint John Community Foundation, the group has a budget and is able to purchase some veggies and meats through LifeDirt! Talking about where the food comes from is a fun part of the preparation process.
This year, two nursing students from UNB are helping out at Foodie Fridays and leading some information sessions on topics surrounding food that are of interest to the participants. Foodie Fridays are open to all, but the regulars are often people who come to the weekly drop-in program as well as English as a Foreign Language classes at the church. Turns out that cooking in community is a great way to practice using your new language!
After everything has been prepared and the round tables have been set, the group gathers and takes a moment to give thanks for the food and the community, or anything else in their lives that they want to share gratitude for. And then... bon appetit!
Oh but wait... one of the rules of Foodie Fridays is that not only do participants cook and eat in community, but they clean up in community :)
