Dartmouth North Community Food Centre wins $100K

The Dartmouth North Community Food Centre is about to receive a significant boost after winning a $100,000 grant from Aviva.

Each year the insurance company donates money to charities throughout Canada, through theirAvivaCommunity Fund campaign.

"We didn't think we would actually win," said DeborahDickey, the manager of the centre."It's an injection that this community really needs, and it's money we can easily use to sustain our programs here."

Need for food security growing

The centre is still shiny and new, and has only been in operation for about a year.

It boasts a large kitchen and seating area for visitors.Every day, Dickey saysaround 100 people drop in for a free lunch or coffee at the attached caf. The centre is also a low-cost market on Fridays.

"We're part of the Dartmouth Family centre, that has been operating for 20 years, we decided it would be good to start a little crock pot and have some food at our small space on AlbroLake Road," saidDickey.

Dickey saidthe need for food security was growing abundantly clear.

'Long shot' pays off

"That year we had 11,000 visits to our tiny room and we knew the community needed more," saidDickey.

It was the story of the centre's beginnings that would win them the money, a "long shot" that paid off.

Dickey saidthis injection of money will help cover the cost of food they cook and sell at the centre, as well as help start new programs at the kitchen.

'It's become very popular'

Those programs include food handling and management training for volunteers with the market. Visitors to the centre can sign up for cooking classes, often inspired by that weeks menu.

"Word has certainly gotten out there, and it's become very popular, you can really see the difference it's making in peoples lives," saidcommunity chefAndru Branch.

Branch says many of the visitors to the centre come for cooking lessons, learning how to make the variety of dishes served there.

This is the second time in recent years that a group in Nova Scotia has received this award. The Souls Harbour Rescue Mission won the contest twoyears ago, they built anew kitchen with their winnings.