West Colchester rallies to feed its neighbours

The Colchester food network is literally fueling food aid in western Colchester County by covering gas costs for delivery volunteers. 

Clients dial in orders and volunteers bring essential supplies to those in need, ensuring there are no empty bellies.

The Along the Shore Community Health Board in Northern Zone contributed $2,000 last year toward West Colchester Neighbours Helping Neighbours’ effort, which continues to roll on with great success, said Shelly DeViller of the Colchester Food Network.

"It's actually still running fine, lasting longer than we expected, which is a good thing,” DeViller explained. “It means we're still able to support people and volunteers with gas cards to help deliver food in that rural community.”

A community member proposed the idea to help deliver food to a rural area, aligning with existing challenges in reaching that community. DeViller suggested applying for a grant to support volunteers who wanted to help but encountered challenges surrounding affordability. The project assists volunteers’ ability to engage with others and provide emergency meals.

“I think, for us, what it means is that we were able to provide food to people that we weren't able to otherwise,” DeViller said of the community health board’s financial backing.

Community health board wellness funds support non-profit groups working to improve health in their communities. Among other things, grants go toward programs that promote food security, housing, transportation and social participation. The goal is to reduce risks of poor health outcomes in Nova Scotia communities.

West Colchester County residents can contact Neighbours Helping Neighbours and, typically during the third week of the month, time is set aside for grocery orders. A volunteer picks up the supplies and makes deliveries. Individuals can request food once a month and DeViller’s group aims to supply people with at least a week's worth each time.

Ordinarily, two to five days of meals are provided, although if someone’s cooking economically, it can often stretch to a full week.

What’s makes the program unique is the food is entirely choice-based: people select exactly what they want from what’s available. There are no pre-packed boxes, which helps cut waste and ensures people get what they’ll actually use.

The Colchester Food Network has its own dedicated space, off Prince Street in Truro. “We’re based in Truro, but our mission is to serve the entire Colchester area, including rural communities where access to food support can be a real challenge. This grant and the help of volunteers have been essential in helping us meet that need,” DeViller noted.

The food delivered includes perishables and non-perishable items.

"We provide everything people might need: from personal hygiene products to milk, eggs and produce,” DeViller said.

DeViller said it’s more than tackling food security for people, it’s about helping people in rural areas who might feel alone or left out. The work, DeViller said, supports more than one part of a person's health and well-being.

“We're giving out emergency food, and we also include meal kits. These kits come with step-by-step instructions for making a recipe, so people are learning how to cook at the same time,” DeViller noted.

“We’ve always believed in always helping our neighbours and this initiative really brings that to life. Our neighbours aren’t just the folks next door; they’re throughout Colchester County.”

Photo of Maia Sloan, packing a grocery order on behalf of West Colchester Neighbours Helping Neighbours program.