Awhile back, Mark Anthony King and his friend Hawk Gurdal caught wind of some local families in Chippawa that were struggling, so they planned to cook up a handful of meals and got permission to use the kitchen at the Chippawa Lions Club.  King, a drywall by trade, and Gurdal, a chef, had no idea what they were starting.

That initial, modest idea to help a few families quickly blossomed into something much, much bigger.  It’s a project that is shining a light on how folks in Chippawa band together and look after their own.  Realizing just how great the need is as this pandemic approaches its second year in Niagara, the Lions formed a new community outreach committee and promptly appointed King as the chair. Then upwards of 50 volunteers and a number of community partners, such as the Matters of Chippawa committee, Small Scale Farms in Thorold and Mainly Niagara, joined the effort in what has now become an ambitious plan to cook up and deliver free, healthy meals to vulnerable people.

Plans also call for mental health outreach using virtual get-togethers for people who may be dealing with isolation, loneliness, or mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder.  The plan calls for meals to be cooked up in the commercial grade Lions Club kitchen, with volunteers delivering them to various church pantries and other places where people such as seniors, those living on social assistance, veterans and first responders and others will be able to pick them up.  “Everything’s free,” said King. “We’re going to start producing 40 or 50 meals a week, then gradually ramp up to 350 to 400 meals a week and by March we’re talking a couple of thousand meals a week.”  The City of Niagara Falls gave the Lions permission to access $1,000 in money from Delta Bingo operations that club members volunteer at, while Small Scale Farms’ Renee Delaney is donating fresh vegetables and produce.  The first small batch of meals was cooked up and delivered in February, including potatoes, onions, squash and baby corn donated by Small Scale Farms.

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