A local organization that’s helping fight hunger around the globe is inviting the community to enjoy a warm plate of pancakes — and a chance to make a big difference.
Southman Gleaners will be hosting a Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser this Saturday, April 26, from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. at their facility at 24 Reinfeld Street North, just two miles east of Winkler. The event is by donation, and proceeds will support the organization’s mission to dehydrate and ship vegetables to people in need worldwide.
Pancakes with purpose
“This isn’t just about pancakes,” said Abe Janzen, a board member with Southman Gleaners. “It’s about turning something that would have gone to waste into meals that can feed hundreds. We’re feeding people we may never meet — but who matter just the same.”
The fundraiser will feature fluffy pancakes, sizzling farmer sausage, and a welcoming atmosphere, all while raising money for a deeply impactful cause. Donations over $20 are eligible for a tax receipt.
“We’ve got good food and an even better reason to come out,” Janzen said with a smile. “And yes, there will be syrup — but if you want peanut butter on your pancakes, we won’t judge you!”
How Southman Gleaners is changing the world — one vegetable at a time
Founded by a group of local business-minded volunteers, Southman Gleaners is the first operation of its kind in Manitoba. Inspired by a model already working across Canada, the team saw a need — and an opportunity — to salvage surplus vegetables from farms and turn them into food for vulnerable populations globally.
“We’ve already dehydrated 14 different kinds of vegetables right here in Manitoba,” Janzen explained. “Carrots, onions, potatoes, squash — even cabbage. We use a 35-foot-long dehydrator to remove the moisture and preserve the nutrients.”
Those vegetables are then blended into a dry soup mix that can feed entire communities.
“A 3-pound bag of our soup mix, once rehydrated, can feed 100 people,” Janzen said. “We reduce the weight by about 85%, which makes it far cheaper to ship — and it doesn’t spoil.”
Where the soup goes
Southman Gleaners partners with Christian humanitarian organizations to distribute the soup internationally — with shipments already having gone to Ukraine, Mexico, Cuba, the Congo, and other countries in crisis.
“We don’t sell our soup mix. We give it away,” Janzen said. “And we make sure it reaches orphanages, communities affected by war, and places facing extreme poverty or disaster.”
Their motto is simple: “Feed the hungry with what we have.” And thanks to their dehydration method and generous donors, that vision is becoming a reality.
Why fundraising matters
While most of the labour at Southman Gleaners is done by volunteers, the organization still faces significant monthly operating costs — up to $20,000 — and ongoing needs for equipment upgrades and expansion.
“Our dehydrator cost about $350,000. And we’ve already outgrown our space,” Janzen shared. “The support from this fundraiser helps cover those costs and lets us plan for the future.”
And despite their modest building, the impact is massive.
“We never run out of vegetables,” Janzen added. “Farmers from all over — from Carmen to Portage to Saint Pierre — are happy to give us their graded-out produce. They’re grateful it’s not going to waste, and we’re grateful to put it to good use.”
Join the movement
Southman Gleaners’ pancake breakfast isn’t just a meal — it’s an invitation to be part of something much bigger.
“We’re fortunate here. Most of us don’t have to wonder where our next meal will come from,” Janzen said. “But if we can come together over breakfast and help someone else across the world get their next meal — well, that’s something special.”
- Event details:
- Southman Gleaners – 24 Reinfeld Street North, Reinfeld, MB
- Saturday, April 26
- 8:00–10:00 a.m.
- By donation (Tax receipts available for donations over $20)
Whether you like your pancakes with syrup, butter, or even peanut butter — come hungry, leave inspired.