- A supermarket in Canada will open its doors to residents in the city of Regina – and the best bit is, it’s free
- The store is run by the Regina Food Bank, and the Community Food Hub will help the one in eight families currently struggling to feed themselves in the city
- Clients will leave with $200 worth of food per person
Have you ever been doing your weekly grocery shop and wished that you didn’t have to pay at the checkout afterwards?
Well, that’s exactly what residents in a city in Canada will find themselves doing, when a ‘free’ supermarket opens its doors this summer.
The shop will be run by the Regina Food Bank, for the one in eight families in the Saskatchewan region who have found themselves struggling to make ends meet since the pandemic.
The Regina Food Bank Community Food Hub is modeled on a traditional supermarket, and will give its clients a choice in the items they pick up for themselves, rather than being handed a few standardized items.
Regina Food Bank vice-president David Froh says people are asked a few questions about their source of income and family size when they come in for help.
Once they’re registered with the food bank, they will be able to stop in every two weeks – and will leave with about $200 worth of food, per person.
‘We are giving people back their dignity’
For Froh, the new venture is a no-brainer.
“None of us fit in a box, but that’s what we give our clients today,” he explains. “When you give choices, you give not just dignity, but actually, we figure we can feed about 25 percent more people.
“When people come here, they’re going to be met with a smile and they’re going to leave with the food they need and that’s awesome.”
Froh expects the hub to serve 200 families a day out of the new location, in addition to the clients served out of the food bank’s current location, which will remain open. The hope is to help 25,000 people every month once they’re at full-capacity.
It’s also expected that about 5000 children will visit the store with their schools, in order to learn about nutrition and financial literacy. Around 2000 students in the Canadian city get snacks and meals at school through the food bank.
And the Hub won’t just be about grocery shopping. Plans are in place to also open a basketball court, an outdoor garden, seating and a playground.
While the food bank doesn’t get any government funding for operational costs, it has raised $3.7 million to get the building ready. However, the goal is to raise $5 million so that there’s money to keep its doors open and help those in need.
“Every little bit helps,” says food bank client Jon White, who was left unable to work due to a shoulder injury. “That’s why I’m glad the food bank’s here, or I wouldn’t make it.”
