An initiative near Guysborough that provided a free meal during the pandemic, continues to bring people together.
The Eat, Drink and Be Happy program brings those of all ages to cook, eat and be social.
Sabrina Skinner with the Sunnyville Community Association shared her vision with us.
“I wanted to start something that’s intergenerational, seniors, youth, and middle-aged, coming together, cooking, sharing stories, sharing the good times, sharing the old recipes that they used to make,” she said.
“Most of my community is seniors, and they weren’t getting out, and I felt that. This is not us. We’re socializing people. We love food. So that’s why it really 100% it mattered.”
She tells us why this program made a difference, especially with rising food costs.
“They wouldn’t have to worry about where one meal was coming a month. It would be free for them. They didn’t have to cook it. So, I think that’s what caught people on,” says Skinner.
Guests just had to show up and eat with no questions asked if they wanted a second plate, which is why she thinks everybody continued to come out to more of these meals.
Leftovers were also brought to people with transportation to attend.
Other African Nova Scotia communities and people from a local church decided to help from outside the Sunnyville community.
“Volunteers are a big factor when you are trying to do something in community,” shared Skinner. “I wouldn’t have been able to do it without their help.”
Volunteers also made chow and mustard pickles preserves when they were hard to find locally from ingredients grown in Nova Scotia for community members to take home.
The group was awarded the Nova Scotia Health Wellness Funds but still covered their own costs for gas and groceries to feed the community.
Also, they applied for a grant to start their own community garden and have a greenhouse to grow their own vegetables.
Not having a dishwasher at Sunnyvale Community Associations Hall is a big issue they’re working towards getting and they’d also like to update the layout of the kitchen to serve people better and more efficiently.
“I would just say that to everybody that thinks that, you know, things are not possible. They are, as long as you put your mind to it, and think of your community, and give back,” expressed Skinner.-
They last provided a meal on Remembrance Day, and the group is hopeful to serve future meals and host other social events, including a turkey dinner for Kwanzaa.
