We interviewed Nancy Aatelma, CAPC Coordinator at Desert Sun Counselling and Resource Centre, which serves the Oliver and Osoyoos communities about how her team has been able to continue to support their community members during the current crisis.

Prior to Covid-19, Nancy had been running the Community Kitchen which is a teaching kitchen for the past nine years. At the kitchen moms, dads and caregivers learn about nutrition, budgeting, cooking & baking techniques, parenting, life skills plus a variety of other skills specific to participants needs. Osoyoos’s kitchen is held at the Grace Lutheran Church and the Oliver kitchen is held at the United Church.

There is a nominal voluntary charge of $5 per family fee to participate. Not all are able to pay, and Nancy makes sure nobody is turned away. Participants prepare and enjoy a hot meal together and take food home to enjoy. Over the years participants have developed into a strong support network and are always eager to welcome new families to their group.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic both kitchens closed. In April the Osoyoos kitchen – the largest of the two – was opened up to help those in need during these difficult times. The Osoyoos kitchen is able to maintain food safe and Covid-19 safety protocols. Weekly meals are now being prepared by moms and volunteers for seniors, individuals and families. To date over 800 meals have been prepared and delivered to seniors and families from Osoyoos to OK Falls. Nancy does all the meal planning, shopping and acts as lead cook. Desert Sun offers a Better at Home program and it is through this program the meals are delivered to seniors. Nancy delivers to the families and while dropping off the meals she does wellness checks and offers resources and supports to families. This way, Nancy is able to keep in touch in person, as well as by phone and text, with the participants in her program.

The “Covid-19 Kitchen” has received good feedback and supports and is available to any family in need in the community. Those who receive the meals find it very helpful, as many of them are having trouble with doing grocery shopping and carrying supplies home. This means one meal a week they don’t have to worry about.

Earlier this year, Desert Sun received approval and funding for a community garden. The Community Garden will be used collaboratively by the Town of Osoyoos, School District 53, and Desert Sun. The school has three raised beds for the kindergarten. Going forward, the school will use their produce to teach cooking and introduce new foods to the kindergarten class. Presently produce grown at the garden will be taken to the kitchen and used for the meal program. When the covid-19 is under control the community garden will be opened up to the community and will become the first community garden for Osoyoos.