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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Food Rescue ­ a Yellowknife-based not-for-profit society ­ has elected a new president to oversee its operations.

Laurin Trudel, Food Rescue's newly-elected president, stands by the non-profit's van at the headquarters on Old Airport Road. - Sara Wilson/NNSL photo

Laurin Trudel, isn't new to organization, though. In fact, he's been there since the beginning as a board member and co-founder. Trudel replaces Daniel Costache who was the president from 2009 till June 13, 2012 when he decided to step down.

The labour of love, and retirement plan for Trudel and his wife, Ruby, has been in the works since 2008 ­ when the first shipment of food was delivered to their home.

The society officially became a registered non-profit in 2009 and later in that same year, Matrix Aviation Inc. donated the facility where it currently operates now, off Old Airport Road.

"My wife attended a homeless coalition in 2008 and she was listening to the various speakers from the various agencies," Laurin said.

"While she was listening to everybody claiming about their lack of funding ... she just had this sense that someone was telling her that she could do something about this."

Food Rescue operates on a moral mandate that "too much food is being wasted," and partners with both the Co-op and Extra Foods along with other food vendors throughout the city to redistribute food that can no longer be served on store shelves.

"When we first started, there was no legislation to protect the stores from liability issues that could arise from food that they gave away," Laurin said. "(Frame Lake MLA) Wendy Bisaro picked up our cause and within a period of three or four months in 2009, put a short piece of legislation together and it went through the assembly. The day after it was passed, the Co-op became the first store to call us up and say 'OK we're on board. You can come pick up food now.'"

Since then, the notion of "recycling" food has taken off.

Last year, Food Rescue recovered 250,000 pounds of food, and is able to give away around 97 per cent of that ­ and since its inception, it has kept nearly 700,000 pounds of food out of the landfill.

Food Rescue donates food to schools, the Salvation Army kitchen and its hamper program, the John Howard Society and the SideDoor Youth Centre.

Laurin's big goal as the newly-appointed president is to find a bigger location for the fast-growing charity.

"One of our big challenges is that we've been living in an arctic tent for coming on three years this fall. It's quite comfortable, but we're in need of more space ­ more permanent space."

Corporate donations and government funding have kept the society alive over the past four years ­ not to mention the tireless hours of volunteers.

"Thanks to the number of volunteers we have and the fact that we've been blessed with community support financially," Laurin said.

"We've be blown away by the generosity of the community."

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