Spruce Grove Rotary Club secures new federal funding

SPRUCE GROVE -- The Rotary Club of Spruce Grove has received $400,000 in federal funding.

The new funding comes as part of a grant from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, which will go towards bolstering the organization's Community Pantry. They say that this allows them to make two significant purchases -- a new delivery van and professional production kitchen equipment.

The Rotary Club notes that the state-of-the-art kitchen equipment, along with their own location, will enable the Pantry to increase lunch production from 900 to 5,000 weekly school lunches within the next two years. This increased volume will also include a transition from the "brown bag" style lunches delivered currently, to lunches that include warm soups and stews, fresh buns and breads, salads, and more.

Beyond this first stage of growth, the organization says that the Pantry will also leverage the new production kitchen to teach children and youth how to make their own lunch, and how to prepare meals at home. Students will have the opportunity to learn a variety of culinary techniques, such as knife skills, cooking methods, food safety, and sanitation practices, and will work with a wide range of ingredients and equipment. 

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada supports the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector through initiatives that promote innovation and competitiveness.