A Festive Feast for the Soul with A Better Life Foundation

Serving three course meals to people facing food insecurity in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

The holidays can be the toughest time of the year. Even those of us who have a huge amount tend to feel the things we are missing more acutely. For those facing food insecurity in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, this is especially true. This makes it all the more sweet to be able to help give back to the people in our community who need a little help.?

Last week Brands For Better Foundation was delighted to send a team of volunteers to the historic Save on Meats building in Gastown to cook and serve a three course meal for members of the community. Dubbed ‘Plenty of Plates’ these nights are hosted by A Better Life Foundation . They're one of the incredible initiatives operating from the Save on Meats building to fight food insecurity: together they’ve served more than 4,300,000 meals to people in the Downtown Eastside in less than 10 years.

As we stepped into the building it became immediately apparent that we were entering a space steeped in history. From its beginnings as a three-story butchery that employed more than 300 butchers in its height, right up to present day, the Save on Meats building has been a steady presence in the community. It’s a place where people congregate to satisfy both their need for physical sustenance, and their need for social interaction and community connection.

As our host Ash MacLeod pointed out early in the evening, sharing a meal is about so much more than just physical sustenance. It’s about coming together as a community. It’s about being validated as a person, being recognized and heard. We were there to help people have an ordinary, dignified human experience of the type that might not often be so accessible to them. This meant taking the time to say hello, striking up a conversation, and making it a priority to accommodate people’s requests.?

But first things first: we were there to cook! Our team of 13 was split into three groups to prepare each course of a delicious meal. Cream of mushroom soup with cheesy toast, followed by chicken pot pie with arugula salad and rounded off with s’mores brownies. Yum.?

With hands-on help and guidance by a fantastic team from A Better Life Foundation, we prepared and served 80 three course meals in just a few hours. The evening flew by. When the last guests had left, the kitchen counters were cleaned and floors mopped, we took the time to reflect together on the experience.

It was amazing to feel the shift in our own perspective as a group when thinking about the neighbourhood we were in. A place that’s perceived mainly for its negative characteristics suddenly had a different sheen to it. A warmth. A joy. A sense of joined humanity and community.

We’d like to send huge thanks to Ash MacLeod , Mark Brand and the A Better Life Foundation team, for hosting us and for the incredible work they are doing. In 2024, they will celebrate 10 years in operation, and are on track to hit the massive milestone of over 5 million meals served to those in need.

Thank you to those who kindly donated in support of our $5,000 fundraising goal to make this night possible.

If you, your company or organization would be interested in volunteering at a Plenty of Plates night, you can find more information on their website.?