Big News From Nelson Food Cupboard
By Contributor
After lengthy discussions, we have come to an exciting agreement with the Nelson United Church.
The Nelson Food Cupboard has the go ahead to renovate the church’s lower hall to make it even more welcoming to our program participants, volunteers and staff.
“We are in the initial stages of planning but will focus on things like bringing in more natural light, changing the flooring and ceiling, and making the office space more functional,” a spokesperson for the Nelson Food Cupboard said.
“Not too far down the road, we’ll also be upgrading the kitchen to more commercial standards so our cooking, food prep and preserving classes — as well as our community meals — will benefit.
The change of the space is very good news for the people we serve, and it’ll contribute to the success of our four programs (Food Skills, Good Food Bank, Harvest Rescue and Garden). It’s also good news for anyone who may be using the space for their community event in the future.
As Nelson Food Cupboard staff begins the fourth season of operating the garden program at Ward and Hoover Streets, we’ve learned that the property on which the garden now sits has been put up for sale. We’ll be there all this season, and chances are good a move will happen next season.
It has been a wonderful experience building out our garden program and, though we are sad to be leaving such a great spot that has been so embraced by our program participants and the Nelson community, we knew that our stay wasn’t forever. We are also excited about the prospect of finding a new location (perhaps a little closer to our HQ).
We heartily thank Brooke and Sandi Leatherman, the owners of the property, for their generosity and for working with us on making the space so special.
“We were honoured to be able to make the land available for the garden,” said Leatherman. “To see it grow into such a success, in so short a time, has demonstrated its essential importance and contribution to the community. Although our selling of the property means a move for the garden, we look forward to continuing our support of the Food Cupboard’s important mission in other ways.”
