Home Depot Donates New Kitchen
October 23, 2003
When you’re preparing soup and snacks for up to 130 people each day in an 11’ x 8’ kitchen, every bit of counter, sink and storage space counts. So it’s no surprise that the recent kitchen renovation at Centre 507, courtesy of the Gloucester Home Depot, was a big hit with volunteers, participants and staff.
“Some of the participants who work in the kitchen had been disappointed by previous renovation plans that didn’t quite work out,” says the Centre’s manager Tracy Davidson. “So we kept this a secret, announcing only that the Centre was closed for building repairs. When they saw the finished kitchen, the participants were thrilled.”
Tracy didn’t have to keep the secret for very long. The work began on a Thursday evening and finished that Saturday night.
The work crew was led by Meaghan Dickinson, who had done the design work in January. Although the composition of the work crew changed by the day or hour, it included up to six people from Home Depot, Tracy, a couple of Centre 507 staff members, and even some of Meaghan’s friends. Home Depot volunteers pitched in whenever they could, juggling the 507 project with their day jobs.
A few days later, Gloucester Home Depot assistant manager Rick Palmer, who also pitched in to help, returned to Centre 507 and saw the enthusiastic reaction first-hand.
“That really makes it worthwhile,” says Rick, whose store also contributed almost $3,000 worth of materials to the project.
Tracy describes the kitchen as a real “morale booster” for participants, who gave Meaghan advice on what was needed. While it isn’t any bigger, the new kitchen is brighter and more functional, with new cupboards, counters, floor, hood fan, shelves, bins and double sink.
On a typical day, the Centre 507 kitchen serves soup, toast and coffee. Depending on donations from local businesses such as the Herb and Spice on Bank Street or the Ottawa Food Bank, you might find muffins being baked or salads being prepared.
“Food from the kitchen is what draws most participants to Centre 507 the first time,” says Tracy. But once they’re in the door, they keep coming back – for snacks, companionship, counselling and so much more.