Your support helps neighbourhood kids beyond the walls of Mission Services
It’s a hot Thursday afternoon and the community kitchen at Mission Services is full to the brim with excited kids, eagerly awaiting the day’s lunch.
“Food’s ready!” Nick the Cook calls out, and a cheer erupts from the kids.
On PA days and during their summer break camps, the kids attending camp at the Eva Rothwell Centre pack up their things and walk as a group to the community kitchen at Mission Services. There, they are served a hot meal prepared by the Mission Services cooks.
“About 10 years ago, we realized that a lot of the kids attending our camps didn’t have the nutritious food that they needed,” said Sam, Executive Director of the Eva Rothwell Centre. “We knew Mission Services was up the street and had food programming, so we reached out and made a partnership.”
Since that day, thousands of Hamilton-area kids have received nutritious meals through this partnership.
Mission Services serves over 600 meals a month to youth through our Youth After School Meal Program – including those in The 196 Program and other local programs, like Eva Rothwell. Youth in The 196 Program also have daily access to a food pantry.
“It’s wonderful to be able to extend our reach and help more kids in the community. When organizations work together, we can create healthier, stronger pathways for our youth to thrive,” said Sheryl, Senior Director of Integration and Impact at Mission Services.
Ensuring that kids have good food to eat is the first step to helping them succeed in other aspects of their lives as well.
“Having these kids with a full belly helps them to focus and is one less thing they have to worry about,” Sam said. “It’s a weight off their shoulders and gives them the confidence of knowing there is food for them. It gives them an opportunity to be productive and successful later in life.”
“It also helps them to see the role that Mission Services has in making a difference in the community,” Sam continued. “They know that Mission Services is there to help them and their families.”
For the kids, meal time has become a special time that’s about much more than the meal that is being served.
“The kids love going to Mission Services. Not just because of the food, but also because of the relationship and rapport that the cooks and the staff have with the kids. They get to know them by name, and building that relationship is so important,” Sam said. “Their favourite cook is Nick.”
Nick has been cooking with Mission Services for nearly three years, and is most often the cook who prepares the lunch for Eva Rothwell Centre. He says his joy in the partnership is two-fold.
“It’s amazing to watch the kids grow up over the years, and I love to see them truly enjoy the food I’ve cooked,” Nick said. “They’re so appreciative and respectful, and they always make sure to say ‘Thank you’.”
As the partnership between the Eva Rothwell Centre and Mission Services continues into the future, Sam was sure to stress who it’s really all about.
“It’s about making a difference for all the children and families in our community. This partnership isn’t about either organization, it’s about helping kids and impacting their future.”
