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North End Harvest Market makes sure those in need get their fruits and veggies

Once a week a dedicated group hands out free fruit and vegetables to people that have trouble affording them
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Barb McPhee runs the North End Harvest Market, a portable at Waverley Drive school that dispenses fresh fruit and vegetables to those that are unable to afford it. Tony Saxon/GuelphToday

Every Wednesday, Barb McPhee and a group of volunteers give out free fruit and vegetables from a donated portable at Waverley Drive Public School.

The worst thing, says McPhee, is when you look at the line-up outside and realize they might start running out of items by the time those at the back of the lineup make it to the front.

“It breaks your heart when we realize we might have to start spreading things out more and that those people might not get as much,” says McPhee.

The North End Harvest Market was founded three years ago through a $30,000 grant by Chalmers United Church looking to expand its food bank program.

These days a number of organizations contribute to the $500 a week in food costs, most notably Guelph United Ministries. McPhee and others scour the web for charitable donations and grants they can apply for. Donations of food and money are welcomed.

McPhee is the lone staff member of the program, paid for 15 hours of the many more than that she works each week.

The market opens every Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Those using the service register and are allowed to come every other week.

“We get around 60 people registering each night and that feeds 250 to 280 people when families are part of it,” McPhee said.

Officially the market is for those living in what McPhee calls the “food desert” of Guelph’s north end, “but we don’t like turning anyone away.”

They have had clients come from as far away as Fergus and Rockwood.

Mostly it’s the basics: carrots, potatoes, onions and apples. If their food buyer (its purchased at the Toronto food terminal by a member of the Guelph Community Health Centre’s POD program) can get a good deal, lettuce and tomatoes might show up.

“We were lucky last week, we got some mushrooms,” McPhee says.

They have two fridges on site to help keep some food. Other perishables are donated to other food banks.

Some weeks they invite entertainment for the parking lot (belly dancers and indigenous drummers have appeared) and in August they are inviting social service agencies to set up so that the 130 people that show up can easily access their services.

“We get five to 11 new people a week coming out. Sometimes people get jobs and don’t need us, sometimes they come back,” McPhee says. “Everyone appreciates it and if they don’t need it they don’t take it.”

The North End Harvest Market will be holding a fundraiser on Thursday, July 13, with medium Janice Moffat hosting a night of “reflections and connections” where people will gather for a group reading.

Cost is $30 per person and starts at 6 p.m. at 197 Hanlon Creek Blvd., unit 103.


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Tony Saxon

About the Author: Tony Saxon

Tony Saxon has had a rich and varied 30 year career as a journalist, an award winning correspondent, columnist, reporter, feature writer and photographer.
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