BGC Moncton, formally the Boys and Girls Club, raised over $400,00 to complete the work. The club's executive director, Ashton Beardsworth, said bringing the new kitchen to life was a "joint effort," with funding coming from the community, the provincial government, and a $100,000 donation from the Medavie Foundation, which the new kitchen is named after.
"We're proud to support this important initiative, which will provide not only nourishing meals but also a welcoming space where community members can connect, support one another, and feel a true sense of belonging." Andrea Elliott, the Medavie Foundation's director of social responsibility, said in a release.
Beardsworth said the small kitchen they had before the upgrades was no longer meeting the need they are seeing.
"We're serving approximately 150 meals a day, six days a week, so we really needed something that was going to allow us to be able to do that more efficiently," she said.
The club increased the size of the kitchen and equipped it with commercial appliances.
"We have bigger ovens, more stove burners, bigger fridges, freezers, and more space for storing food," she said.
"It allows us to stock up and be able to cook more at once."
Beardsworth said kids who take part in the club's afterschool program get a healthy snack and meal. She said this starts the evening off right for kids and ensures they are fed.
"We know that a lot of schools are taking care of breakfast programs and some are even helping out with lunch but then during those after-school hours it's a struggle for some families. This allows families to not have to worry about that," she said.
The kitchen will also help fill the gap in the summer, serving lunch to kids taking part in the club's camps.
Beardsworth said the meals make a difference for the kids who take part in their activities.
"It definitely makes a difference when it comes to the engagement, the focus, the concentration, and how they contribute to these programs," she said.
The new kitchen will also allow the club to expand its programming.
Beardsworth said they offer cooking classes and nutrition programs for kids where they learn not only how to prepare a healthy meal but also how to shop for the ingredients on a budget."It's teaching them life skills," she said.
She said the new kitchen means they can also introduce intergenerational cooking classes, which Beardsworth said has always been a dream at the club.
"Now, we finally have the facilities to be able to do that," she said. "We're just so excited to be able to reach even more youth and families."