Food bank helps Ukrainian refugees

North Kildonan

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This article was published 29/05/2024 (842 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A food bank run out of Chief Peguis School in North Kildonan is a beacon of hope for the many Ukrainian families settling in the area. Originally launched as a breakfast and lunch program for as many as 50 students per day, it grew as Ukrainian families settled in the area so their children could attend a nearby Ukrainian/English bilingual school.

Principal Doug Nowicki, along with Olena and Anna Gordiyenko, organize the twice-monthly operation, which includes collecting food from Starbucks, Shoppers Drug Mart, Sobeys Warehouse, Sobeys, Safeway, Maple Leaf Foods and Hildegard’s Bakery. Nowicki said he began by contacting Second Harvest Food Rescue, a national organization which works to improve food access to ensure everyone can have good food regardless of their economic situations. He estimates the team has collected $350,000 worth of food, evenly split between Ukrainian families and the school meal program.

Diligence pays. Through Second Harvest, Nowicki gets alerts about donations. He quickly responds and picks them up. Because he always follows up, he gets additional offers. That benefits the dozens of families who come for help on a typical evening and walk out with bread, cereal, fruit, nutrition bars and treats.

Some of the children attend Chief Peguis School and have a clear bond with Nowicki. They greet each other by name, with the children introducing their families. One asked permission to show her relatives the school.

The Pavlovas are regular attendees. Sofiia Pavlova, 13, said she and her parents fled Odesa after the war began.

“Every morning, I woke up and smelled the sea.”

After a few months in Poland, the Pavlovas came to Winnipeg. Sofiia attended Chief Peguis for a year before moving on to River East Collegiate. She said the food bank has played a crucial role in helping her family settle in their new home.

“We can eat the food from here for one month; it saves a lot of money,” Pavlova said.

The stories are heartbreaking. Nowicki has met psychologists, lawyers, hairstylists, and engineers. They start from scratch in restaurants and do manual labour (if they find work). Everyone is grateful for every opportunity; no one complains.

Nowicki clearly cares about everyone who walks in the door, and the feelings are mutual. Last March, they surprised him for his birthday.

“I walked into the school, and there were about 60 or 70 Ukrainian people,” he recalled. “They started singing to me in Ukrainian. Then they blindfolded me, took me into the foyer and served a massive Ukrainian buffet.”

A talented artist, Pavlova gave Nowicki a birthday portrait with copies for his children. He displays it with pride.

On May 20, there were more gifts as families learned Nowicki is moving to Munroe Junior High School next fall (the food bank’s fate is uncertain). There were many thank-yous and hugs, with just as many tears. More than one wondered what they would do without the food bank.

Nowicki joked that the food bank has become his main hobby. He spends 20 hours per month making it happen, and his home resembles a warehouse.

“It’s a good feeling knowing you’re helping those in need, and this is a massive community in need,” Nowicki said. “They’re been uprooted; their lives have been destroyed.”