GREAT FALLS — A branch of St. Vincent De Paul’s, the Fresh Rescue Community Kitchen project commenced in 2020, with the donation of the building by NeighborWorks Great Falls.
The 130-year-old vacant building had once been used as a laundromat.Now the kitchen will be used as a resource to reduce food waste which contributes to food insecurity in Cascade County.
The most recent numbers from Feeding America, show a total of more than 12,500 individuals in the county suffering from food insecurity.
Food rescue for the kitchen is done in partnership with grocers and wholesalers.
The kitchen hopes to soon initiate phase two of their plan, which involves working closely with restaurants to rescue unserved portions of food.
Currently the space is used by volunteers to make meals for St Vincent’s ‘Angel Room’, which serves up between 70-100 meals a day to the homeless.
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It can double as a usable space for other non-profits for educational use.
The Boys & Girls Club of Cascade County has an annexed room which will be used several times a month so kids may learn about proper nutrition and how to cook basic meals.
The space can also be rented for a small fee.
The next step of the project focuses on creating a vibrant place for food education, processing, and production.
This takes volunteers, something Fresh Rescue is looking for across all fronts. This includes volunteers to rescue food, repackage foods, and cook food.
Fresh Rescue Kitchen is even planning to start a line-cook training program which would allow some to gain essential working skills.
The kitchen is located at 513 Second Avenue South.
For more information about how to volunteer, call kitchen manager Kendell Slicker at 406-217-4680.
