When life gives you potatoes, turn them into potato soup — and that’s exactly what Sugar Me Cookie Boutique did after picking up 75 pounds of potatoes and 50 pounds of onions from Evergreen Basic Needs (EBN) in late February.
Sugar Me Cookie Boutique prepared more than 100 servings of soup, salads and potato dishes using produce collected from Evergreen Basic Needs. All trays were donated back to EBN for distribution in the community
The produce was part of a much larger donation. EBN received 2,500 pounds of potatoes and 1,250 pounds of onions from Dunnottar councillor Jim Kotowich, who coordinated the delivery through Second Harvest, an organization committed to reducing food waste.
Kotowich said donating the produce to food banks was an easy decision after learning it could otherwise end up in a landfill.
“It was a wonderful feeling,” he said. “To think there was a possibility the shipment would have been sent to landfill, and instead we were able to get it to people who could really appreciate and use it.”
Kotowich added the donation was a true group effort involving a generous farmer, a trucking company, Second Harvest staff and volunteers from Winnipeg and the Interlake.
“Sometimes when I read and hear about everything happening in the world, life gets a little sad,” he said. “Then you meet all these people and realize there are many kind and caring people willing to step up to help others.”
Two local volunteers, Mark and Devin, delivered the produce to EBN after responding to a call for drivers.
EBN executive director Karen Bowman said she knew the shipment was coming but was still surprised by the sheer volume when it arrived Feb. 24.
“My immediate response was, ‘That’s a lot of potatoes,’” she recalled. “I really didn’t have a concept of what it would look like, so when it was unloaded I wondered what we were going to do with them all.”
Bowman quickly realized there were more potatoes than the organization would typically use and began reaching out to other food banks. Eventually, EBN offered the extra produce to community members to pick up free of charge on Feb. 27.
“It was great to be able to share with our neighbours,” Bowman said. “While our primary responsibility is to our food bank clients, if we have a surplus of anything it only makes sense to share it with the larger communities we serve. Keeping food in people’s cupboards and pantries is much better than sending it to the landfill.”
She added that with food insecurity at an all-time high, sharing the potatoes and onions was another way the organization could support the community.
For Sugar Me Cookie — also known locally as The Butter Tart Lady — the opportunity became a chance to give back.
Using the produce they collected, the team initially prepared 60 servings of potato bacon soup and 57 trays of scalloped potatoes. They also made 60 Caesar salads and donated all the meals back to EBN for distribution. One week later, they made 48 trays of scalloped potatoes, 16 family-sized scalloped potatoes with cheese, 50 mini salads, 10 family-sized salads, 21 mini mashed potatoes and 13 mini roasted potatoes.
“When EBN offered the community potatoes and onions, it really resonated with us,” said Deborah, operations manager for The Butter Tart Lady. “Those are simple ingredients, but they can become something really nourishing when you have the time and ability to cook with them.”
For Deborah, the project also carried personal meaning. She said her family relied on food banks — including EBN — while she was growing up, making the opportunity to help others feel especially meaningful.
“Being able to give back now feels like coming full circle,” she said. “We believe strongly in paying it forward and supporting the community that helped shape who we are today.”
Production day required a full team effort, involving hours of peeling, chopping, cooking and portioning — what Deborah described as a “messy and labour-intensive process.”
But the effort was worth it knowing the food would go directly back to people in the community.
“Our hope was simply that it would make someone’s day a little easier,” she said. “When you’re trying to feed your family, a ready-made meal can take a lot of pressure off. The response from the community has been very positive and encouraging, and it reminds us why giving back matters.”
Bowman said the meals were extremely well received by food bank clients and disappeared quickly.
“Getting anything fresh and homemade during the winter is always an extra bonus to the basic hamper available,” she said.
She added the organization is grateful for the ongoing support of volunteers and local partners, including Sugar Me Cookie, Sobeys Gimli, Red River Co-op, Red Apple and Matlock Village Junction.
“There are good people out there,” Bowman said. “Sometimes all you have to do is ask for help and folks respond.”
