first three weeks at the ndg food depot

So it's already been three weeks since I began working at the NDG Food Depot as Project Outreach Coordinator. I can't believe that it's already nearing the end of June!

The first week was orientation, and consisted of mainly getting to know how the Depot operates on a day-to-day basis. My schedule that week went something like the following:

Monday: began work at noon, and met with the staff. I did some sorting of food donations with Romney, a fellow summer student intern (official title: Food Distribution Assistant). We looked at expiration dates, sorted the food into different categories, and chatted with some of the regular volunteers whilst doing so. Colin is quite a character, and Barb is just about the toughest cookie I have met in recent memory (other than my formidable mother, of course). The Depot has three service nights: on Mondays from 5-7 pm (for students or working people), and Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am-2pm. I sat at the front desk with Christy, who greets the clients as they come in and hands them a number. The people in the intake office then call each number (1, 2, 3, etc.) and take down the clients' names, file numbers, and their food preferences.

Tuesday was home deliveries to the elderly or disabled clients in the community who cannot come directly to the Depot to pick up food. I went with Alex Kudo, a volunteer and business student at Concordia. We drove around in pelting rain to around 11 residences, taking about 3 hours and about 2 double trips (because we forgot to give some residents their second bag.) I caught a cold that day, but overall it was good to see this aspect of the Depot's services as well.

Wednesday I went through some old flyers and pamphlets in the meeting room, as the Depot is in a state of transition with its information and resources for clients who have a variety of needs (they need information on health services, other food banks, day care, etc.) I think I found more than a few pamphlets from the mid 90s, and an FBI report circa 1986 on Pedophilia (I don't know why it was there--don't ask). I really wish I had written down some of the gems I found in that little manual. Here are a few I can grab from my memory:

Fallacy: Pedophiles are homosexuals.
Fact: Pedophiles can be men or women, and male pedophiles are not always homosexual.
Fallacy: You should keep your children at home at all times.
Fact: Pedophilia is often committed in places once considered safe, such as your own home, backyard, or child's bedroom. It is often someone who is not a stranger.

...and so on. Damn, now I really wish I hadn't thrown it into the reclying. The picture on the front was quite amusing as well.

Anyways, this is not to make light of pedophilia, blah blah blah etc. End politically correct disclaimer. But you have to admit, some of those fallacies are quite funny.

Wednesday: More service time, more intake. I did the intake sheets wrong, oops. I fixed it later, though.

Thursday: A bit of breathing room, had a chance to chat a little more with the staff. Fiona is the Executive Director of the Depot, and works incredibly hard. I wonder how she gets anything done though with the phone ringing all the time. Did I mention that the phone is always ringing? All the time.

Bonnie is the Good Food Box Coordinator. The Good Food Box is a food buying group coordinated regionally by Moisson Montreal (Harvest Montreal), in which residents of various Montreal municipalities can order different quantities of fruits and vegetables mostly grown in Quebec, for cheaper prices because a) they are bought in bulk, and b) it is all very local. Since working at the Depot I've learned how to do the basics of assisting in the running of the program, which involves taking orders, packing the boxes themselves for pickup at the Depot, and recruiting new clients.

Wendy is the Volunteer Coordinator, and I have to admit I have a special spot in my heart for her. She is an incredible little woman, with seemingly endless patience. I really must post photos of each and every one of the staff here soon.

Vineeth was recently hired as Food Programs Coordinator, and Romney as I mentioned earlier is a fellow summer intern who is working with the Zero Food Waste program and is general administrator in the food storage and distributions area. Both are great guys to work with, especially since I can bum rides to the metro station from them when it rains!

On Friday, Becky, Wendy's daughter and intake professional, schooled me on my erroneous intake ways (which I gratefully accepted, because looking back, my first intake sheet was a complete and utter disaster), and I learned to do intake...the right way.

I will update with photos next time of the Depot, and hopefully can do more regular posts reflecting on my time there.

Until then, take care friends, strangers, and lurkers.