Clients at the Okotoks Food Bank will be treated to restaurant meals thanks to a hotel’s new initiative.
Okotoks Best Western Plus Inn & Suites has launched its 40 Hot Meal Project, fashioned after a similar campaign run by a Medicine Hat realtor in December, to help boost business for restaurateurs while providing meals for those in need.
“It’s kind of a win-win for the community,” said Roanne Bodnarchuk, owner of the Best Western. “It creates employment, it benefits the restaurant industry which is struggling right now, and then it also provides restaurant-quality meals to the recipients at the food bank.”
She said the hotel has committed to purchasing 40 individually-packaged and frozen dinners from local restaurants, which will then be delivered to the Okotoks Food Bank to be included in food hampers.
They hope to have enough support and interest to provide meals once or twice per week, she said.
The campaign launched at the end of February and gained sponsorship from Servus Credit Union. Now they’re looking for more people to jump on board, she said.
“We’re just looking to rally some support in the community, to help sustain this initiative to the food bank,” said Bodnarchuk.
She said the 40 Hot Meals Project will continue as long as there is interest and support in the community and at the food bank.
The first delivery will likely be later in March, once donations are set and plans are in place with restaurants willing to do the cooking, packaging, freezing and delivery, she said.
As a locally-owned and operated hotel, she said it is important to be involved in the community and she’s been waiting for the right project to come along. After seeing a social media post about the Medicine Hat initiative, Bodnarchuk decided it could be beneficial for Okotoks.
“We finally found something we felt would be a great fit for us to be able to spearhead,” said Bodnarchuk. “We hope other people see our project and it spills over into other communities as well.”
To learn more about the 40 Hot Meals Project or to donate or get involved, visit www.bestwesternokotoks.com.
