- by Anne Finlay-Stewart, Editor

When Colleen Trask Seaman received a Community Service award from the Chamber of Commerce on behalf of OSHaRE, she said -

"To our guests – Our hope is that everyday when you pick up your meals from OSHaRE you will know that your community comes together to provide them, because they want you to know that you are cared for, that you are valued, that you are seen, and that you are important."

That is the message that OSHaRE donors and volunteers bring to their guests - our neighbours  – every. single. day

The company has always been as important as the food at OSHaRE, with volunteers and guests laughing and visiting and checking in on anyone who was missing. Since COVID, OSHaRE has had to change to meals-to-go - serving hot, nutritious food Monday to Friday from 11:30am to 1pm and  4:30pm to 6pm with lunch-to-go programs on Saturdays and stat holidays.

According to the United Way's Food Security Co-ordinator Paul Wagenaar, the 300%-plus increase in the need for OSHaRE' s services, like all other community food programs, is primarily driven by housing costs. Those accessing food security programs can be paying 80, 90, even 100% of their income on rent, he said in an interview earlier this year.

As we head into winter , we will publishing more about community food programs and the impacts of the housing situation on our community.

In the meantime, as holiday giving and those end of year donation decisions are made, we would do well to remember OSHaRE's motto - What We Have We Will Share.