Warm Meals, Out of the Cold

For a number of years now, Greenwood has partnered with the Out of the Cold program to cook and serve a hot meal to 150 homeless men, women, and youth. Out of the Cold runs multiple shelters throughout Toronto, creating overflow shelters using spaces such as churches and temples. They work to ensure that Toronto’s homeless population has somewhere warm to sleep during the winter months.

As a nonprofit that relies heavily on volunteers, they need the community to donate both resources and time; Greenwood students and staff were happy to give both.

To raise the money needed to purchase the ingredients, students ran two events. First, during Spirit Week, students collected donations as a payment for Friday’s dressdown. Then, the Student Council sold Valentines Day Grams. They raised $750, enough to fund a full dinner.

Once they knew their budget, the Food and Culture class planned out the meal. Ms. Brownell-Swain ran a special lesson on how to budget for large crowds to ensure that the fundraised money would go as far as possible. Then, they brainstormed recipes and drew up a menu, taking both budgetary and dietary requirements into consideration to build a balanced, nutritious meal plan.

On March 8, volunteers headed to the Out of the Cold shelter at St. Matthew’s Church. They arrived early in the afternoon and got to work chopping, slicing and spicing. They made a hearty leek and potato soup, mixed green salad, loaded potato skins, chili, and fresh cornbread. They also brought along treats for dessert that Grade 7-9 students had baked in advance.

They plated and served the food to the guests. As everyone ate, the volunteers got the chance to spend some time at the tables and chat while their guests enjoyed a hot meal. It was a great opportunity to reach out to the local community and make a difference.