When the COVID-19 crisis struck Canada roughly one year ago, the country’s already concerning food insecurity dilemma was amplified exponentially. During that time, we also began seeing numerous restaurants forced to close their doors, whether imposed by regulations or implemented preemptively by choice.
Winnipeg restaurants were among the first in the country to do the latter, and seemingly without hesitation, renowned chef Ben Kramer saw an opportunity to ameliorate a dire situation, and began collecting perishable supplies from local restaurants to deliver to the Main Street Project food bank.
Shortly thereafter, the passionate chef partnered with Community Foods Centres Canada to launch the Made with Love initiative, where he and his culinary team have been developing and delivering high-quality, nutritious take-home meals to various charitable organizations throughout the city ever since.
Earlier this week, Kramer announced that thanks to a generous donation from an anonymous donor, all monetary contributions made toward the Made with Love initiative will be matched dollar-for-dollar for the entire month of March.
“We’ve fed almost 30,000 individuals and will keep going as long as we can. We’ve committed the time and energy, but need donations to keep it going,” explains Kramer. “Money is the oxygen to get food into the hands of those that need it most. We believe that healthy food is a basic human right and everyone should have access to nutrient-dense food.”
To make the most of the incredible opportunity provided by the anonymous donor, Canadians are encouraged to contribute in any capacity, whether through funds or by sharing the initiative on social media. Chef Kramer says that as long as people continue to donate, he will continue to provide meals for those who need them.
All donations can be made online.
