The Salvation Army in Richmond Hill Thinks Outside the Box to Support their Community Through a Generous Donation by the Rogers Family

Thanks to a generous donation of $24,500 from the Rogers Family, The Salvation Army in Richmond Hill, Ontario was able to start a breakfast and supper in-a-box program for individuals and families in need.

Over the Christmas season, 65 supper boxes complete with a meal and dessert were put together and distributed. In February, 75 family food boxes were assembled and distributed to families in need in their local area. The initiative was inspired by the many food box meal preparation services that are now available on a subscription basis.

“My wife and I are subscribed to a food box service, and it’s so convenient to receive all of the ingredients in one handy box with the spices and recipes,” said Captain Jon Savage of The Salvation Army Richmond Hill Community Church. “It makes for a no-fuss family dinner night. We were inspired by this idea and thought that it would be something we could create on our own for families in need in our community, and the donation we received from the Rogers Family was an incredible help in making this important program possible. We even gave out $5000 in gift cards so that fresh food and produce could be purchased. It’s been a real success and our gratitude is immense.”

February’s boxes featured homemade lasagna, tinfoil pans, fresh cheese, sauce, spices, and lasagna pasta, along with a voucher, all made possible by the Rogers Family donation. The boxes also included both a salad mix, and cake mix with icing, a delicious way to top off the meal.  All ingredients were purchased the same day the boxes were delivered.

Captain Savage said the support brought a smile to many faces and the comfort of a home-cooked meal to those who needed a little extra hope.

“It’s great because all the recipients now have a recipe to keep so they can make it in the future. Our location in Richmond Hill doesn’t have a food bank, but this extra touch allows us to offer something different to support our community’s most vulnerable.

The next step for The Salvation Army Richmond Hill Community Church is to put out a call to their congregation for recipe ideas to continue the program while offering a variety of flavours with some vegetarian options as well.

By: Bianca Shmutz