Sarnia Blessings settling into new site at Wellings of Corunna

For Sarnia Blessings founder Kevin Allen, the volunteer-run meal project’s new home at Wellings of Corunna is a match made in heaven.

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The project needed to leave its previous location in a former Plank Road restaurant on Dec. 1, the same day Wellings wanted a new caterer in place.

“It was absolutely perfect,” Allen said.

The experienced chef and volunteers began making and delivering meals to seniors and surgery patients recovering at home as the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, working from the kitchen of a city church and other temporary locations before leasing the vacant restaurant in early 2022.

But after their landlord said in the fall the restaurant building was to be torn down, Allen scrambled to find a new kitchen to prepare the 1,000 meals he and about 30 volunteers cook, portion, freeze and deliver each week.

Sarnia Blessings also takes catering jobs and sells meals to the public to help cover its costs.

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“We had a ton of catering booked for December, and we didn’t want to shut down,” Allen said.

Billy Yurchuk, general manager of Wellings of Corunna, an adult independent living apartment community, said it stopped including meals to help reduce membership fees and wanted to lease its kitchen beginning Dec. 1.

“My cousin is a member here,” and connected Wellings and Sarnia Blessings, Allen said.

“We started conversations, and it became just a perfect match,” Yurchuk said.

Apartments at Wellings have their own kitchens, but Sarnia Blessings offers residents pay-as-you-go buffet dinners several times a week.

“That money assists Kevin in the work they do in the community by providing meals, and our members get beautiful buffet meals, currently three times a week,” Yurchuk said. “It was just a perfect attachment of two organizations, both providing good service to seniors.”

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Along with the kitchen, Sarnia Blessings can use Wellings’ large dining area for meals and public events.

“It gives us an opportunity to generate some revenue, which we need because we’re not government funded,” Allen said. “We just ran on donations and food sales.”

Its first Sunday brunch for the public, held recently, “was packed,” he said. “It was a success, so we’re going to do that once a month.”

There are plans to open Friday dinner buffets to the public in February and several special events are planned.

Information about Sarnia Blessings and its events can be found on its Facebook page at facebook.com/sarniablessings.

Having to move during a busy time of year was the “biggest challenge we’ve had to face” but project volunteers came through, Allen said. “We’re inching every day to be a little more organized.”

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Allen said Sarnia Blessings delivered 1,200 meals a week at the height of the pandemic, but after restrictions lifted, “I said, ‘I’m not sure if God wants us to keep this thing going or not.’ ”

But Allen said they found there was still a need among seniors still living at home, including many awaiting places in long-term care, as well as those recovering after medical care.

“We don’t refuse anyone,” Allen said of Sarnia Blessing’s tiered prices for its frozen meal deliveries. “If someone can pay full price for our meals, they do that,” but reduced rates are available for those who need it.

Others in need are asked only for a donation, he added. “A lot of them are in that category where they can’t afford it.”

Meals are cooked Wednesday, packed and frozen Thursday, then delivered Monday.

Sarnia Blessings soon will be selling its meals from freezers at DeGroot’s Nurseries in Sarnia and Zekveld’s Garden Market in Reece’s Corners, Allen said.

The project always needs volunteers and donations, he said.

Allen spent 20 years cooking for children’s camps before that part of his kitchen career was derailed by the pandemic.

“God laid it on our hearts to do it,” he said of Sarnia Blessings, which he runs with his spouse, Jan. “We’re going to keep it going. He has provided for us, so far.”

“We’re blessed to do this,” he said.

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