A local partnership is helping wildfire evacuees access the familiar foods that make them feel at home.
Food Matters Manitoba, alongside Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc. (MKO) and Northern partners, is providing traditional meals to elders staying in hotels in Winnipeg.
They're serving everything from fried moose to potatoes, bannock, fresh berries and moose stew.
"It's about coming together, feeding the people, and taking care of the elders who have been taken away from their homes," said Food Matters Manitoba in a post on Facebook.
This is the second time that this group has worked together. However, this time around, instead of cooking over propane stoves in a parking lot, they have been offered a safe cooking space at Harvest Manitoba.
"We all have a deep connection to food," said MKO in a post on Facebook. "Food can bring back memories, remind us who we are, and make us feel safe. Especially when we are away from home, few things can be more comforting than the familiar scent and taste of our foods."
On Friday alone, volunteers prepared and delivered over 150 meals.
"Our food is our medicine, our food is healing, our food brings everybody together, our food creates family bonds when you eat it together, it triggers memories of long ago," said Elder Jenny Cross. "There are so many aspects of our Traditional foods that are so important."
The Manitoba Wildfire Service continues to respond to 122 active wildfires across the province, a total of 317 wildfires to date.