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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
When Ruby Trudel attended a homelessness coalition public forum in 2008, she realized that even with all the non-profit organizations in Yellowknife, a piece of the puzzle was still missing.

Food Rescue founder, Ruby Trudel, watches as her husband and former president of the organization, Laurin Trudel, right, passes the torch, or in this case, the watermelon, to new president Todd Sasaki. Food Rescue recently celebrated donating its millionth pound of food to charity. - Graeme McNaughton/NNSL photo

"At that moment, I felt a hand on my shoulder. And immediately it came to mind that there was food in Yellowknife that was being put into the landfill for lack of a bridge between those who had it, and those that needed it."

Five years later, Food Rescue is celebrating its millionth pound of food donated to charity. Trudel admits when she started Food Rescue she never imagined the scale that it might reach.

"You have no idea when you start something, what the possible outcome is," said Trudel.

"There is just miracle after miracle after miracle. We could probably tell you a very significant story every week."

Although there are many stories to choose from, Trudel is particularly proud of the food donor protection legislation that passed in the legislative assembly with help from Frame Lake MLA Wendy Bisaro, and without which the organization could not have existed.

The legislation protects businesses and other food donors from lawsuits for providing food past its prime.

"That legislation set a record as the fastest legislation that's ever been passed," said Trudel.

Food Rescue has certainly come a long way since beginning as a home-based operation run out of Trudel's kitchen five years ago.

In their first year the group was processing an average of 108 kilograms per day. Now in 2013, it is donating an average of 415 kilograms of food per day.

According to Trudel's husband, past president Laurin Trudel, that equals 43 trailer truckloads of food donated per year - which if lined up end to end, would span almost the entire length of the Deh Cho Bridge.

With all the food it has donated, Food Rescue has been able to feed thousands through non-profit organizations and schools around Yellowknife.

"They've done so much. You can't really put it into words," said Todd Sasaki, who recently took over the presidency of Food Rescue.

Sasaki was first introduced to Food Rescue when he was working as program co-ordinator with the SideDoor Youth Centre. He still remembers the first day he met Ruby, who was bringing a shipment of food to the centre. "Ruby took the time out to explain to me what Food Rescue does, which she often does with anybody who has the time to listen."

"I was just amazed - amazed that this was happening, amazed at the generosity of the different donors throughout Yellowknife, and just flabbergasted that at the time this was a 100 per cent volunteer organization."

Today, Food Rescue remains a volunteer organization, except for one full-time driver who takes care of the group's deliveries and pickups.

"The volunteers are the absolute strength of Food Rescue. This organization could not function without them," said Ruby.

The organization also depends on the support of local grocery stores and its corporate sponsors, who have donated all kinds of resources, including the organization's van, she said.

While the importance of Food Rescue's services should not be ignored, Ruby thinks education about food can go a long way in helping reduce waste in the first place.

"We're a very wasteful society. We waste 50 per cent of our food from field to fork," said Ruby.

She pointed to the fact that so much food gets thrown out because people are worried they will get sick from eating food past its expiry date. "What does a best before date really mean?"

"We have to remember who sets that date. It's not set by Health Canada, it's set by the manufacturer, which is a very convenient way to know when they need to make the next batch of crackers."

If Food Rescue is to continue to succeed in the future, it will have to do so without the Trudels, who are moving to Lloydminster, Alta., so that they can take care of "Ruby's mother.

While Sasaki is optimistic that Food Rescue will continue to thrive, there is not doubt in his mind that Laurin and Ruby have made a lasting impression on Yellowknife, he said.

"The impact of what they started what they started in this community will be felt for a very, very long time, and they will certainly be missed," said Sasaki.

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