In September 2022, a local group decided to form a hub which could connect people to a network of community events, programs, and services to support living and thriving in Altona and the surrounding area.
Thus, The Community Exchange (TCE) was born. Working with a staff of five, and a nine-member board of directors, TCE works within the values of connection, collaboration, community, communication, and compassion, supported by three pillars: gathering around food, learning from and with each other, and providing a community hub.
Food gatherings involve a free monthly community meal to anyone in the community. This project was initiated by the Altona Bergthaler Church, in partnership with TCE. To date, they’ve served 2,000 free meals, with a goal to expand the program to twice a month.
Muffin Mondays are seeing 35-40 visitors a week pop in for a coffee, a muffin, and maybe a chat. Café 116 is another new initiative that includes food available during their Monday through Thursday drop-in hours. A weekly light lunch has been added every Thursday. Toonie Tuesdays see them provide excess produce from local gardeners, for just $2 a box.
TCE also has a food bank initiative that provides free baked goods, dairy products, and meats, donated by Altona IGA, at an estimated retail value of over $70,000 a year. Pioneer Meat has also come on board, donating hundreds of pounds of farmer sausage, valued at over $6,000.,
The Community Hub offers drop-in hours from Monday to Thursday, welcoming an average of 200 people a month, providing a place for people to have coffee, food, and a safe, inclusive place to connect with others. A variety of social services programs provide added support.
TCE also offers free workshops, support groups, a language program, and a community stories project with aims to collect and publish a range of local stories.
Looking back on their first year of operations, board chair Cal Funk says he is deeply grateful to the volunteers, donors, and those who pulled up their sleeves and did the work to make this dream a reality in Altona.
“We’re also grateful to have Paul Peters coming on as our executive director this summer. His energy and experience will make a huge difference moving our goals and dreams forward.”
Looking ahead, Funk hopes to find partners who can help them create transportation solutions for those in the community who don’t have access to vehicles. The board is looking at different options, such as possibly purchasing an electric vehicle.
“It’s a huge topic. We’ve got people that come here on a regular basis that don’t have transportation. They don’t have a way to get to a medical appointment. They don’t have a way to even go get their groceries. In the meantime, we do have grassroots people who are already offering rides. The funding will come.”
Another concern is the lack of available and affordable housing in the area. While TCE offers access to food, internet, showers, and a washer and dryer, people still need a place to live.
“That’s a tough one. One model we look at is Central Station in Winkler, who work in concert with a group looking for affordable housing,” says Funk. “They’ve either constructed their own or purchased existing affordable housing units. They maintain the buildings and Central Station looks after the tenants.
“Central Station has been such a huge help to us, and I know they’d be willing to work alongside us, the town, and the municipality to find solutions. We can do some fundraising or lower the up-front costs. But it’s a huge undertaking. We would need to get government and community support for that.”
He also wants to build on their Café 116 model, with increased community meals, weekly lunches, affordable food hampers, food handling courses, cooking, and baking mentoring.
“It’s all about improving access and offering more frequency. We made lots of little tweaks and changes since we started, and we’re figuring out what the needs are.
“Right now, we’re open Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There’s always somebody here, along with other community organizations that are using this space. There’s always someone here to talk to. We have volunteers and organizations here to help.”
Adding more services, Funk notes, will require more volunteers.
“I know people are looking for a place to volunteer, and this is a great place to consider. Some may want to help with food rescue. Some like to work behind the scenes, and we can find opportunities for them too.”
Funk says since they launched The Community Exchange, more and more people are becoming aware of what services they provide.
“More people are stepping forward to help, and it’s really rewarding. Corporate donors who are willing to support what we do here feels awesome. We hope the community feels free to come and check us out. Come in and chat. We really want to be a safe place for everybody. We are affiliated with 18 different organizations now, so there’s always somebody here who can help.”
Looking back, Funk says the journey has been rewarding and heart-wrenching.
“Having been a part of TCE since it was first imagined four years ago, to being hands-on over its first year of operations, I can honestly say that I’ve received so much more than I’ve invested.”
