What’s for dinner? Fresh salad, for starters
Written by Julie Borgen, Twin Cities media relations director for The Salvation Army Northern Division
When you think of an urban homeless shelter that feeds more than 200 people a night, you probably wouldn’t guess that fresh produce is on the menu.
“People think of an old-fashioned soup kitchen – you get your soup, you get some bread … if you’re lucky, maybe some fruit for dessert,” said Dominick Bouza (pictured), operations manager at The Salvation Army Harbor Light Shelter in Minneapolis.
But thanks to community partnerships, guests here are treated to a salad bar filled with fresh produce at every meal.
“People are able to pile their plates high with salads and fruits,” Bouza said. “It’s wonderful to see.”
Wayzata Community Church and the Onan Family Foundation donated money to purchase the salad bar (pictured), which allows Harbor Light to make the best use of “rescued” food donations from local grocery stores like Lunds and Byerlys, and Trader Joe’s.
“The majority of the food we serve here is rescued,” said Bouza, noting that rescued foods are those that are close to, but not past, their expiration dates. “We have spinach, peppers, lettuce, fruit – all donated. Before we had our salad bar, we weren’t able to make the best use of it.”
The salad bar is set up three times a day for guests to help themselves to a healthy meal. Bouza says it’s just one more example of what can happen when communities work together.
“When I started here 10 years ago, I felt like we were all alone. Today, we’re more of a village,” he said. “Together, we’re making a difference in people’s lives.”
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