'Why not? We have extra': Community Cupboard provides food in Winnipeg

A repurposed cabinet atop a pole was the centre of attention in Winnipeg's Centennial neighbourhood Sunday, after a local couple installed a Community Cupboard onFountain Street near Logan Avenue.

"I didn't know people would be so interested in giving and I didn't know that so many people would be in need and walking by," said Kelly Hughes, who built the cupboard with his partner Andrea Vaile.

The idea is simple if you have extra food or toiletries you leave it, and if you need it you take it.

The couple saw the community pantry idea online in the United States and elsewhere in Canada and thought it would be a good fit for their neighbourhood. Their house is attached to a former church and Hughes said that means they often have people stopping by asking for food.

"We were just trying to think of a way to give back, a very kind of grassroots, easy way to actually just directly help people," he said.

"I think it's great. I think we should really be sharing when we can."

Vaile posted the community cupboard project on Facebook and soon streams of people stopped by to drop off non-perishables, snacks and hygiene products.

Lindsay Brown lives nearby in an apartment and said she thought it was a wonderful idea that would benefit the community.

"I was hearing that things were coming and going really quickly and it's not surprising. I think there's definitely a need for something like this and I think it's great, for a small gesture, to have taken off," she said, placing feminine hygiene products on the quickly filling shelves.

With an armful of supplies, Twyla Motkaluk waited for her turn to fill the little cupboard.

"Sometimes things are hard and why not? We have extra," she said.

Another group went to the cupboard a short time later, this time excited about what was inside. Steven Reinheimer grabbed a few packets of porridge and some granola bars and put them in his fianc's backpack.

"That will get us by another day," he said, making sure not to take too much.

Just over five years ago Reinheimer said his vehicle was hit by a drunk driver and he suffered serious injuries. Before that he was an assistant superintendent at a golf course where he made a good living.

Now, he relies on disability assistance to get by.

"It's hard to actually find places to find food when you are down and out," he said.

While there are a lot of resources, Reinheimer said they aren't always open when people need food or the wait is really long.

"When you need help you need it now," he said.

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Reinheimer smiled as he talked about getting back to work and hopefully adding food to the cupboard one day.

"If they were all around the city, honest, people would be surprised about how often they were used," he said.

For now, Hughes said they are working on keeping their little community pantry full of supplies.

"The response has been great. Lots of people have been coming by and taking stuff," he said with a smile.