At 1680 Saskatchewan Avenue West, the smell of a warm meal and the sound of friendly conversation fill the hall three days a week. The Highway Community Kitchen, run out of the west entrance of the Highway Pentecostal Church, has become a lifeline for many in Portage la Prairie, and organizers hope to grow it even further.
“We are open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday,” explains treasurer and co-coordinator Arlene Barker. “There’s young, there’s old, and every age in between. We have some families that come in, individuals that come in, and we want to reach out to them and show them there are people here willing to help.”
On any given day, the number of people coming through the doors can swing widely. Some days may see 10 guests, while others climb past 40. The mix changes as well, with regulars the volunteers know by name alongside families or travellers who only stop by a few times.
Barker says the decision to open in the city’s west end was intentional. While other soup kitchens are clustered downtown, this one is close to row housing and low-income families.
“We wanted to reach this specific area of the city, which is why we chose this location."
The next goal for the group is to expand their service to five days a week. To do that, more hands are needed in the kitchen.
“We need somebody who would be willing to come in and be able to cook and manage one of the days, which would help us open the other two days,” she notes.
Volunteering doesn’t mean a full-time commitment.
“If you want to do just one or two days a month, whatever time you could give would help us greatly,” she emphasizes.
MLA Jeff Bereza, who attended a recent business tour of the soup kitchen, says the impact of volunteering is greater than people realize.
“All of us may run into situations where we may not be able to afford a meal. It happens with everybody. I think those of us who can should give back. It only takes a couple of hours a month, and it's something we need to do to help out those who may have a little less than we do," he says.
Bereza has signed on to help serve once a month and encourages others, from businesses to high school students, to pitch in as well.
“Not everybody gets three meals a day on the table. When a person is hungry, they can't think right or work properly. To have a home-cooked meal like they do here at the Pentecostal Church could make a huge difference in somebody's life."
With more volunteers, the soup kitchen could become a five-day-a-week anchor of support in the west end. For now, it remains a welcoming spot where neighbours gather, strangers become friends, and a hot meal offers more than just food. It offers dignity.
Those interested in volunteering can get in touch through the Highway Community Kitchen's Facebook page, call 204-872-3314, or simply drop by during open hours to learn more.
Sign up to get the latest local news headlines delivered directly to your inbox every afternoon.
Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@portageonline.com.
PortageOnline encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the PortageOnline app.