Danny and Cindy Meier (right) make a donation of $250,000 to the Medicine Hat & District Food Bank. Standing next to them is food bank executive director Celina Symmonds and Gerald Freedman a longtime volunteer.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade
It is the largest donation from a private couple ever given to the Medicine Hat & District Food Bank.
The local couple, Danny and Cindy Meier, donated $250,000.
“I was speechless, in tears for gratefulness. How blessed it felt,” said Celina Symmonds, executive director Medicine Hat & District Food Bank.
Danny says they have always made smaller contributions but this year wanted to do more. They know people who use the food bank.
“We also know what it’s like to have nothing,” said Danny, referring to their situation a few decades ago.
Symmonds says donations of any size are so gratefully accepted but a big one like this can be used for more than day-to-day operations. It will go toward the new premises on Maple Avenue that will include a commercial kitchen and new programming.
For a long time the food bank has had a vision for a food and wellness hub with an industrial kitchen, cooking classes and vegetable gardens.
In July city council gave approval for it to take over the former Maple Avenue fire hall.
Danny and Cindy are very much aware of an increased need in the community due to COVID-19. They also realize many business donations will be down due to tough economic times.
“This is the year to do something to try to help,” said Danny.
They not only donated $250,000 to the food bank but also gave the same amount to Ronald McDonald House Charities in Medicine Hat.
Cindy says she thinks it is important to give when the need is there rather than delaying the giving until a you are gone.
Symmonds says the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened awareness of the needs in Medicine Hat.
“More than ever our community needs this (food and wellness hub as part of the food bank) now, a place to gather for everyone – around food,” said Symmonds.
The food hub will be a place where people can learn to prepare fresh meat and vegetables for a meal and could encourage families to come together. They can discover the flavour of home cooking, stretch a food budget further, teach their children how to cook and have a more nutritious diet, she said.
“If you don’t have your basic needs met, it’s hard to have the foundation to make good decisions,” said Symmonds, who envisages a support network.
The food bank hopes to open the new facility in January 2021. There will be a phased-in approach to services with most of the changes to the building taking place inside the existing walls.
Symmonds says the former fire hall was a place that helped people and it feels right for the food bank to continue to fill that role in the same building.
Because people will be coming to the building for a number of reasons it is also likely to remove the stigma that deters some from reaching out for help, she said.
