Serving lunch on Saturdays to the hungry people of Campbell River.
In 2002, the Minister of the United Church heard there was nowhere for the hungry people of CR to go for a meal on weekends. After making some inquiries, a small army of volunteers from the United & Anglican Churches, set up with tents and camp-stoves in the parking lot of the old Overwaitea Grocery Store (now Home Hardware). It was often a cold, windy and, frequently, wet experience. Eventually, the Community Kitchen was given some space in the Salvation Army Lighthouse Centre on Cedar Street and was able to move inside.
From there, in 2010, the Community Kitchen began renting space in the small Radiant Life Church on Cypress Street, where it was open for a hearty Saturday noon meal, at times feeding up to 80 people. This continued until the Spring of 2020 when the building was shut down.
As they say, “What goes around, comes around”. We were once again outside serving the hungry people of CR. With the COVID-19 pandemic, protocols had to be put in place to keep everyone safe. From May to November 2020, the United Church Community Kitchen and Volunteer Campbell River joined forces to provide bagged lunches to many people in the alley behind the Radiant Life Church.
In the Fall of 2020, the groups preparing and serving food moved indoors to the Həm̓aʔēlas Community Kitchen where people facing food insecurity came to eat inside every day. However sadly, in July of 2025, we once again found ourselves displaced when the Harbourside Inn, which housed Həma?ĕlas Community Kitchen, was purchased by the City of Campbell River and demolished.
Currently, we are blessed with over 30 dedicated volunteers (both Church and non-Church members) that help prepare meals at the Church on Fridays and serve hot lunch meals outside once again at the Centre of Hope (Salvation Army Lighthouse) on Cedar St. Each week we transport pop up tents, tables and chairs and serve hot meals to between 60-80 Community members on Saturdays from 11:30 – 12:30pm.
The Saturday Community Kitchen Program has primarily been funded by recycled bottles which are donated to us right at the church or taken directly to the Recycle Depot Island Return It, 1580-F, Willow Street (16th Ave.). **Be sure to tell the people who work there who your bottles are for.** Monetary donations are also very much appreciated and we welcome new volunteers to make the lunches on Fridays, serve on Saturdays or both.
If you are interested in helping, please contact any one of the Executive listed below:
Cathy Smith - Chairperson 250-914-0850
Carol Bye – Treasurer 778-420-1570
Aimee Minor – Coordinator 250-218-2488