SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Two former Yellowknifers have been recognized by the Governor General for their efforts to divert food from landfill sites and into hungry mouths.

Rudy Trudel picks out the bruised tomatoes from the good tomatoes, that were donated to the Food Rescue Yellowknife Society, at their location on Old Airport Road on May 11. Trudel started Food Rescue out of her garage in 2008 with her husband, Lauren Trudel. Food Rescue now has 24 active volunteers, registered charitable status with Revenue Canada and is run by the association's Board of Directors - Heather Lange/NNSL photo

Laurin and Ruby Trudel started Food Rescue nearly seven years ago, retiring from the organization just under two years ago to move south to Lloydminster, Alta.

While the organization continues to supply much-needed food to organizations across the city, its founders received well-deserved recognition for their vision and work with a set of Governor General Caring Canadian Awards last month.

"Thanks to their vision, action and dedication, 1.6 million pounds of food and other items have been diverted from the landfill for processing and redistribution," reads the award descriptor.

"They have created a model organization with minimal overhead and maximum benefit to the community of Yellowknife."

While the founders have moved on, the mandate of the organization remains the same.

"Our focus is on two main things, making sure food doesn't go to waste, but the other of course is to make sure people don't go hungry," said Karen Pryznyk, a volunteer kitchen manager for Food Rescue.

"It's doing a dual purpose."

The organization is volunteer run, with the only paid staff being a driver who collects the food that is near or past expiration and no longer saleable from the main donors - the three major grocery stores in town - and brings the goods back to the organization's kitchen for sorting and preparation, and then distributes it among a long list of clients.

As well as packaged goods, Food Rescue takes in fresh produce that is given away as is, if in good condition, or processed in the organization's kitchen in the case of overripe bananas that can be mashed and frozen for smoothies or baking, or tomatoes that can be pureed.

Produce that goes bad is sent on to the city's compost facility.

Food Rescue has a few main clients including the Salvation Army, the Centre for Northern Families and the Safe Harbour Day Shelter, as well as some smaller clients such as schools, YWCA facilities, Aurora College and the Baker Community Centre.

For the YWCA, Food Rescue makes deliveries once or twice per week to Lynn's Place and the Rock Hill family units.

"We get everything from milk and cheese and sometimes meat, to vegetables and fruit and frozen things that would need to be used right away," said Lyda Fuller, YWCA executive director.

"It's always a wonderful time when they've made a delivery because the women all come down to the area where the cooler is to stock up."

Fuller said the YWCA has been a client of the organization for more than five years and the infusion of nutritious food is greatly needed and appreciated.

"It's critical. We have a lot of working poor families and they don't have a lot of money left over for food," said Fuller.

"This fills a real gap for them and allows them to stretch their budget and to have nutritious food."

Food Rescue was set to host its annual general meeting last night, but Pryznyk said she doesn't foresee any majors changes coming to the organization that has been growing steadily since it was established and is functioning well.

"For the last two years or year and a half we have been carrying on after the people who founded Food Rescue retired and moved to Alberta, so it's been a bit of a transitional time," said Pryznyk.

"We've gone to operating totally on our own without our founders but it's turned out really well. We have amazing volunteer participation."

At Rock Hill, Fuller said the weekly food deliveries are always well received and any food left in the pantry is cooked up by staff for a communal meal for the whole building, seeing that nothing goes to waste.

"I am just so enthusiastic about it," said Fuller.

"When you think that it's all sort of recovered food that would otherwise be tossed, it's just remarkable."

The Trudels couldn't be reached by press time.

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