Feast owner’s charitable plan has all ingredients for success

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This article was published 30/11/2020 (1954 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg’s Feast Café Bistro has partnered with Indigenous chefs and restaurants throughout Canada to provide ‘Feast Boxes’ to families in need, keep workers employed and support local Indigenous businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Feast owner Christa Guenther created a GoFundMe page with a goal of $60,000. As of Monday night, the fund was up to $4,000. 

“We all have our own businesses. We’re connected to our communities throughout the province or territories that we live in and we decided to come up with an idea that could No.1 help secure Indigenous culinary, our businesses and our teams, all while doing what Feast is already known for doing and that’s connecting and trying to help the community,” said Guenther.

“Even with these meal kits, I already know I can bring back a staff member or two and give them even more hours.”

Feast Café Bistro on Ellice Avenue serving traditional Indigenous food.

Employees package food and recipes, and then give the boxes to community organizations — such as Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre and the Indigenous Family Centre — which have access to Indigenous families who need help the most.

“Some of the feedback we’ve had is the family felt very cared for and it brought their hopes up, and their spirits up because they understand a lot of people are giving to help them,” said Guenther. “The recipes were very easy to follow. It gave them more food than they thought it would… it just made them feel like they mattered.”

The boxes include food products and traditional recipes to make meals such as roasted turkey and wild-rice stew.

Guenther has already sent out nearly 200 meal boxes before the fundraising began, and she’s hoping more donations are made here: https://gf.me/u/y94huy.

“It warms my heart. If anybody knows Feast Café Bistro, I opened that business with a commitment to use it as an opportunity to give back to the community from day one,” said Guenther. “I’m really thankful I’m able to be in this position and make a difference in this way,” she said.

The money raised will be divided between all restaurants involved throughout Canada, but larger establishments that employ more people will get a higher percentage because they can deliver to more people, said Guenther. 

kellen.taniguchi@freepress.mb.ca