SUBMITTED

For two years, The Table Community Food Centre has been working towards opening a satellite facility in Smiths Falls. The Falls Food Hub, as the new location will be called, will mirror many of the programs currently offered by The Table in Perth including community meals, community navigation services and food skills programs. Finding a permanent home for the Hub was a major milestone reached last year. Another milestone still on the horizon is raising sufficient funds to outfit the new space with a commercial kitchen and dining room, and to begin offering regular programs. For both the capital costs of the renovation and year of operating The Table is looking to secure $450,000.

The fundraising campaign ended 2023 well with a $50,000 Learning Engagement & Accelerator Fund (L.E.A.F.) grant. Administered by The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group, the L.E.A.F. program invested $350,000 in grants at the end of 2023. Tim Shauf, President of The Commonwell, emphasizes the program’s impact, stating, “We received over $2.7 million in funding requests this year, highlighting its crucial role in supporting communities.” Shauf adds, “We believe in fostering strength and resilience within the communities we serve, and this year’s projects are positioned to make a lasting positive impact.” L.E.A.F.’s mission is simple: cultivate community resilience and capacity through program development and facility/resource upgrades in places where residents learn, play, engage, and gather. 

“We are incredibly grateful to Commonwell Mutual for the L.E.A.F. Grant” stated Ramsey Hart, Executive Director of The Table. “It takes us a big step closer to realizing our goal of opening the Falls Food Hub in 2024. The community is ready and anxious to see this happen. Our weekly lunch, community kitchens and youth food skills programs have all been very well received and we can’t wait to be able to offer more programming to the community from our own dedicated space.” 

In other good news, this week Smiths Falls Town Council allocated $16,183 from its Community Grants Program towards the Falls Food Hub. “Once again the Town of Smiths Falls has shown its support and commitment to making the Falls Food Hub a reality. We appreciate the staff, Council and Mayors ongoing support” added Hart. 

The L.E.A.F. and Smiths Falls grants add to generous support from Canopy Growth, Topps Environmental Solutions, G&N Contracting, and many individual donors. With $75,000 committed from The Table’s reserves $222,000 has been secured so far.

Fundraising efforts are continuing and anyone interested in getting involved is welcome to contact The Table. Donations can be made to the Hub online from The Table’s website (https://www.thetablecfc.org/) by choosing the Falls Food Hub under the donation fund. Cheques must be made out to The Table and sent to 190 Gore St. E, Perth ON K7H 1A6.