MONTREAL, September 26, 2024 - METRO, in collaboration with its long-time partner Food Banks of Quebec, announces the launch of METRO’s Shared Kitchens across Quebec. This project will enable organizations working to combat food insecurity to receive funding so they can build collective gathering places where different community groups can come together. METRO is investing $2 million over four years for this first edition.
In June 2024, eight organizations from the Food Banks of Quebec network were selected to participate, which will enable the construction of kitchens, structural redevelopment or expansion of spaces, and the acquisition of professional equipment. The aim of METRO and Food Banks of Quebec is to provide its food bank members with the resources they need to help people live healthier lives.
“Our goal was to develop a program that concretely responds to local needs. We are very proud of our collaboration with Food Banks of Quebec in creating a tangible project for their food banks allowing us to create a legacy in the communities where we operate, and bring to life METRO’s purpose to nourish the health and well-being of our communities,” says Marie-Claude Bacon, Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications, METRO.
METRO’s Shared Kitchens will promote access to healthy, nutritious food through innovative programs, create a sense of belonging within communities and provide a resource for those feeling isolated.
Meeting the needs of the community sector
Sharing facilities, personnel and material resources between organizations, as well as funding to build new professional kitchen infrastructures dedicated to different types of educational cooking programs, were some of the needs identified community organizations.
“We know that the lack of resources and infrastructure remains an obstacle to the development of this type of program for our members. The funding will have a major impact in the affected communities, as organizations will now be able to do more for their beneficiaries. The enthusiasm shown by our organizations demonstrates the need for these types of facilities in Quebec,” says Martin Munger, Executive Director, Food Banks of Quebec.
“This funding will have a major impact on our community, as local organizations will have access to a processing kitchen to carry out various educational training, meal preparation and other projects. For us, a kitchen will enable us to gain even more ground in the fight against food waste by allowing us to repurpose the food received in our facility and redistributing it to those in need,” says Patrick Saint-Denis, General Manager, SOS Dépannage | Moisson Granby.
Here are the 2024 projects and their beneficiaries by region:
Granby | |
Donnacona | |
Lachine | |
Lac-Mégantic | |
Boisbriand | |
La Prairie | |
Anjou | |
St-Adèle |
About METRO Inc.
With annual sales of more than $20 billion, METRO Inc. is a food and pharmacy leader in Québec and Ontario, providing employment to more than 97,000 people. Its purpose is to Nourish the health and well-being of our communities. As a retailer, franchisor, distributor, manufacturer, and provider of eCommerce services, the company operates or services a network of some 980 food stores under several banners including Metro, Metro Plus, Super C, Food Basics, Adonis and Première Moisson, and 640 pharmacies primarily under the Jean Coutu, Brunet, Metro Pharmacy and Food Basics Pharmacy banners. For more details, visit corpo.metro.ca and follow the latest news on LinkedIn.
About the Food Banks of Quebec
The Food Banks of Quebec (FBQ) network is present throughout Quebec with its 34 regional members, many of which operate under the Moisson name. They provide nutritious foodstuffs to 1,300 affiliated community organizations delivering food assistance to hundreds of thousands of people every month. Since 1988, the FBQ has made it possible for resources, expertise and information to be pooled to fight food insecurity and alleviate hunger among vulnerable populations. https://banquesalimentaires.org/en/
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Source and further information:
METRO
Media Relations
514 643-1009 or 1 800 463-2190
media@metro.ca