Eden Food for Change helps address food insecurity in Mississauga, Ontario, while ensuring those it serves are treated with dignity and respect. With 10 full-time staff members and approximately 400 volunteers, the organization provides vital support to individuals and families in need.

During a three-hour, chef-led cooking session, FirstService team members traded their work attire for aprons to prepare meals from scratch for delivery through Meals on Wheels the following day.

The menu included mushroom soup, barbecue chicken, squash and other vegetable dishes, many featuring produce from the organic garden of FirstService’s Ian Van Heyst, who has been supplying fresh vegetables to Eden Food for Change for several years.

Volunteers chopped, peeled, sliced and seasoned their way through the recipes, picking up new knife skills along the way. One particularly challenging task? Peeling small, sticky onions!

Beyond the kitchen, the experience brought together colleagues who don’t often work alongside one another, giving them an opportunity to connect through a shared purpose. A tour of the facility also offered insight into Eden Food for Change’s operations and the significant need for food assistance in the community.

For many, the highlight came at the end of the shift, seeing their freshly prepared meals packaged, labeled and ready for delivery.

“It’s gratifying to see the results of your effort laid out on the tables, knowing that the meals you helped prepare will be delivered the next day to someone in need,” said Ian.

Abel Escobar, Compliance, Risk Management and Corporate Secretary, agreed. “From start to finish, the experience was rewarding, well coordinated, and impactful. The time flew by because everyone was engaged and contributing to a cause that truly matters.”

The day was a reminder that a few hours, a willingness to pitch in and a shared commitment to helping others can make a meaningful difference.

That’s #FirstServeOthers in action — one meal at a time.