An old hall, run by the people who use it.
Riverbend is a collective, not a charity with clients. The people who shop here sit on the board, volunteer on the shop floor and decide what goes on the shelves.
Built for church suppers in 1928. Still doing that job.
The Arbour Street hall sat next to a small church that closed its doors years ago. When the building came up for lease, a group of neighbours who'd been running a pantry out of a garage took it on, scrubbed the kitchen and moved the shelves in.
Today the main room is the shop floor on food bank days and the dining room on Thursdays. The old Sunday school rooms hold the sorting tables, and the parking lot out back turned into the garden.
A volunteer board and three staff.
Board members serve two-year terms and are elected at the annual meeting each June. Anyone who uses or helps the collective can vote.
The board
- ChairRuns meetings, speaks for the collective
- TreasurerKeeps the books, answers pledges
- SecretaryTakes minutes, posts them by the door
- Two shopper seatsHeld by people who use the food bank
- Volunteer seatElected by the volunteers
- Garden seatElected by plot holders
The staff
- MarisolFood bank coordinator
- PriyaVolunteer coordinator
- OwenKitchen lead, part time
Out loud, in the hall, with tea.
An open meeting every month
First Monday of the month at 7 pm in the main hall. Anyone can come, speak and add an item to the agenda.
Consensus first
We talk until everyone can live with a decision. If we're stuck after two meetings, the board votes.
Shoppers shape the shelves
A suggestion box sits at checkout. What people ask for goes on the buying list before anything else.
The books are open
The yearly budget and the minutes are pinned by the door and handed out at the annual meeting.
Find us and get in touch
Address
212 Arbour Street
Kitchener, ON N2G 0B7
Two blocks from Victoria Park. Use the side door on Arbour: it's level, with an accessible washroom inside.
Phone and email
(555) 555-0157
hello@riverbendfood.example
We answer the phone on weekdays, 10 am–4 pm, and during food bank hours.