As cost of living increases, P.E.I. communities have ‘got each other’s backs’

As meals prices proceed to rise and folks battle to make ends meet, communities on P.E.I. are coming to the help of their neighbours.

Simply over a yr after P.E.I.’s first group fridge was arrange in Charlottetown, the same one is now working in Summerside, and a group pantry is offering meals and different necessities to folks within the Orwell Cove space.

Extra are deliberate for different communities, together with Montague.

Johlene Clow, who led the Summerside initiative, stated there needs to be no disgrace in utilizing the fridge — from people who find themselves unemployed and weak to these with two family incomes and a price range — the value of furnace oil and groceries has an impact on everybody.

“Possibly you bumped into an additional invoice, your automotive broke down, so that you needed to take some cash and put it in the direction of that. It is actually these kind of individuals, the middle-class working folks, that they do not really feel they will attain out for assist, however they’re those who undoubtedly want it.”

Anybody is welcome to donate to the fridge, which additionally features a pantry for dry items and family provides. Clow stated the assist from the group has been implausible. About 70 folks gathered for the grand opening of the fridge on Saturday on Foundry Avenue.

“I simply wish to encourage folks and simply carry to mild the meals insecurity. I imply, Summerside’s not the one one struggling. It is all throughout Canada.”

The Orwell Cove initiative started with a “fill your boots potato giveaway” that raised about $800 to buy the primary provides, and folks locally have been preserving it stocked since.

“There’s already been fairly a number of beneficiant folks, some farmers that donated onions and potatoes and turnip,” stated Randy Visser, whose household initiated the venture.

“Anyone put in some Nerds and a few Jolly Ranchers and a few Jujubes and people type of issues too,” he stated.

They could add a fridge later, he stated, however the pantry is step one in gauging the wants of the group. 

“Typically the toughest factor is simply to start out,” stated Visser.

Tara Reeves, a chef from Summerside, is pleased to see leaders step as much as deal with the rising difficulty of meals insecurity.

“It is a actuality for lots of people proper now, so I feel having the group spirit behind it and simply realizing that, , we have one another’s backs I feel, is large,” she stated.