Penticton residents Allison Howard and Dave Corbeil were inspired in December 2021 when they read a newspaper article about community giveback across the country.
Since then, they’ve been on a mission to do the same in Penticton and bring a community fridge to their hometown. On Saturday (March 19), their dream came true.
With a fridge full of donated food and over 50 people in attendance, the Penticton Community Fridge and Pantry officially became a reality outside the Elks Club on Ellis Street.
The fridge will be open at all times for people in need, according to Corbeil, who read about similar initiatives in Vancouver and Hamilton, Ont. before the start of the new year.
“That put the idea in our heads and then Allison contacted the people in Hamilton,” Corbeil recalled. “We then spent weeks getting information together and then got in touch with the Elks Club.”
It took just five weeks to complete the project, with Howard and Corbeil working in collaboration with a number of local organizations, including the people at the Elks Club.
“So many individuals handed us small and large amounts of money to help with buying groceries and other supplies,” Howard said.
Penticton mayor John Vassilaki was joined by city councillors James Miller and Julius Bloomfield in welcoming the new addition to the community on Saturday morning.
“I’d like to thank all the folks for thinking of those who are less fortunate than ourselves,” Vassilaki said. “It’s very important in every community for us to go forward and help those who need it.”
People are encouraged to bring food that they can spare and store it in the fridge.
“If you can spare food, bring it, put it in the fridge and people will come and take it as they need,” the mayor added.
Lorri Kidd, the secretary-treasurer of the Elks Club, called Saturday’s grand opening a big step in helping community members secure food for themselves and their families.
“Whether it’s 9 a.m. or 11 p.m., the pantry will always be open,” she said.
The purple pantry is located at 343 Ellis Street, with Allison and Corbeil both stressing the need for volunteers as the pantry beings serving the community.
READ MORE: ‘It’s time’: Penticton’s historic CPR Station to be gifted to new non-profit organization
@lgllockhart
logan.lockhart@pentictonwesternnews.com
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