By Michael Bennett
Local Journalism Initiative
The Ridgetown Independent News
The FreeHelpCK pantry at the Br. 243 Legion in Ridgetown is back up and running, providing free food to the less fortunate in the community after being down for about a month.
The original wooden structure had fallen into disarray and needed to be replaced.
“It took a little longer than we expected,” said Kim Scoyne, FreeHelpCK’s local representative, about the program’s return.
The new cabinet, featuring a Royal Canadian Legion theme wrap created by Impact Design, is located in front of Br. 243. The Legion also provides space inside for a refrigerator for FreeHelpCK to store donated food items such as milk and eggs.
The cabinet is packed with non-perishable food items donated by individuals, businesses, and organizations, as well as food purchased by Scoyne through financial donations.
Scoyne also collects items from Foodland through Second Harvest, a food rescue organization that partners with local grocery stores to donate items nearing best-before dates to community groups, such as FreeHelpCK, instead of throwing them away.
Individuals who would like to donate non-perishable food can simply place their items in the cabinet at any time. Donors are reminded to check the expiration date on their items.
Nicole Rumble, a local caterer, donates full meals throughout the week, which she has been doing since the fall of 2024 after learning about the FreeHelpCK pantry.
Community members are asked to take no more than four items per day, which is noted prominently on the new cabinet, along with a ‘Smile, You’re On Camera’ reminder that the area is under surveillance.
Scoyne said there have been incidents in the past where individuals have taken large amounts of the food items – sometimes cleaning out the pantry – leaving others who need food with nothing.
“Hopefully this keeps people honest,” Scoyne said about the cameras.
When the surveillance camera captures persons who abuse the system, local volunteers use the tape to identify the individuals, who receive a visit to remind them of the food pantry’s purpose and limit.
Scoyne said the need for food assistance in the community is growing.
“I was filling the pantry last week and two people – one in a car and another walking – who I had never seen before, were picking up items,” she said. “The need is really there.”
Geri Hughson, founder of FreeHelpCK, and Ward 6 Coun. Alysson Storey – who has a summer home in Rondeau Park – attended the reopening of the pantry. Hughson said the Ridgetown pantry is one of nine across Chatham-Kent that is operated by FreeHelpCK. She said the pantry is for non-perishable food only, not for clothing or other donations.
Hughson recently spoke at a Chatham Rotary Club meeting attended by Storey, where she learned of the Ridgetown pantry’s re-opening.
“Food insecurity is an issue that’s really important to me,” said Storey, who organizes Holiday Jam, an annual benefit concert during the Christmas holidays to support local food banks. “The food pantries across Chatham-Kent are critical to help keep people fed. I wish we didn’t need them, but there are a lot of people who are struggling to put food on the table and to have this source of help in communities like Ridgetown is really, really important.”
FreeHelpCK runs several other programs in Chatham-Kent, including Operation Backpack, a Prom and Grad formal wear giveaway, a senior meals program, the ‘Adopt A Senior’ Christmas program, and community gardens.
