2016 saw the food banks in Southeastern New Brunswick merge into one to form the Peter McKee Community Food Centre.
Ben MacMichael used to Manage the West End Food Bank, but he was hired to become the Manager for the new centre.
He says they look after over 1500 families per month, and this centre took on a new philosophy, “It’s more than just handing out groceries and then see you next month. This new building is all about hope and building up skills. We want to add, not just to serve the immediate need, with food needs, we want to build skills in people and create community.”
He says the centre has programs never offered before at other centres, “A teaching garden and a teaching kitchen. They teach nutrition, and how to cook different foods. We also have a GED classroom in our building that helps to build the human spirit. It helps to make people confident, and gives them that bit of encouragement that people need.”
MacMichael says it’s a blessing to see how the community and the volunteers come together at the centre each day.
