World News – CA – Black female chefs cook 2,000 Thanksgiving meals for GTA shelters

Mike walker
Videojournalist, CTV News Toronto

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Chef Christine Robinson prepares meals to drop off at GTA shelters (Mike Walker / CTV News Toronto)

TORONTO –
Twenty black female chefs from across Toronto have teamed up to cook thousands of Thanksgiving meals this weekend for local shelters

The inaugural Thanksgiving campaign dubbed « The Feast » is organized by the community organization BLACQ (Black Leading African Canadian Queens), a group of African-Canadian businesswomen who have raised funds for scholarships and grants. trading in the past

“I had contacted many shelters that I have volunteered with in the past and due to COVID-19 a lot of their complaints were that donations were down this year and they were afraid of the way they were doing. feed everyone they house, ”said Thiana Richards, founder of BLACQ

BLACQ organized the initiative by launching a social media appeal for chefs and donations They managed to raise around $ 700 to buy food, including turkey, chicken and vegetables

“Thanksgiving is all about spending time with family and right now with COVID-19 it’s really tough,” said Chef Christine Robinson “I’m just trying to show people that we’re still here even though you are alone « 

The goal was to prepare 2,000 individual meals for distribution to more than 30 shelters in the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton, but finding the space to cook and pack meals safely amid the pandemic was another challenge.

Richards contacted Kitchen24, which operates a community center and has a huge kitchen space to ensure physical distancing in their facilities.

Kitchen24 has its own annual Thanksgiving campaign and after hearing about The Feast, owner Steve Kidron was on board and provided the group with a safe space to cook and pack meals for free

“A lot of groups approach us because they don’t have a kitchen to work with or don’t have a safe environment due to the restrictions,” Kidron said. “So when they approached me, I said you were welcome « 

All weekend, chefs worked on rotations, in groups of five or less to meet public health guidelines

Taniel James is the head chef of the initiative and wanted to give back after her personal experience in a shelter with her mother, brother and sister when she was 11.

“For me, cooking started when I was at the shelter I learned how to cook my first meal in a shelter,” said James “Being in a shelter was an eye opener for me and I’m glad to be there « 

James says this is his first charity event and it inspired him to do more to help those in need

Toronto, Thanksgiving