What do Public Health, Cars, Curt Garland, and Seniors Have in Common?

Public Health? Initial Funding!

In 2025, the Public Health Association of BC (PHABC) approached Food Banks BC with $250,000 of funding to support northern resilience and innovative food systems. Being the Hub for the North for Food Banks, The Salvation Army Prince George was offered this funding to open a Community Kitchen. At the Curt Garland Community Support Centre on 18th Ave (the Centre), we had a garage that had been used for Emergency Disaster Service, but had recently become empty. The space was perfect, the walls were there, and it was essentially empty. It needed some vamping and retrofitting, but the foundation was already in place. We were honoured to accept the grant and the challenge. And so the planning began.

The intention behind creating the Community Kitchen is to provide commercial equipment at a Northern Health approved facility for a cost-recovery fee. This means non-profits can create meals for their programs, caterers can conduct their business, and farmers can create their wares. Really, anyone can use the kitchen!

The initial funding was intended to cover the entire build and the equipment, and, in true construction and inflationary fashion, the budget needed to be expanded. But with such an amazing start, we were well on our way!

Cars? Subaru drives up to the oven!

Each year, Subaru gives back to the community in many ways. At Christmas, they choose a few worthy non-profits to support with funding. In Oct, 2025, Subaru manager John Beck, contacted us and accepted our offer of a tour of the Centre. Once he was in the door, he, like so many tour recipients, was amazed at the scope and scale of the good work we are doing here. We showed him the Community Kitchen and let him know that we were still seeking $30,000 of funding to complete the equipment purchases. He brought this back to the Subaru family, who graciously donated this exact amount! We open the oven and cooler doors in honour of Subaru Prince George!

Curt Garland? A good friend and mission partner is remembered!

With the passing of a Community Legend, Curt Garland, his legacy lives on at the Curt Garland Community Support Centre. When he passed away in Nov, 2025, his family requested that those wishing to honour Curt’s name donate to The Salvation Army or Spirit of the North. There were many conversations with Mr. Garland’s friends, and donations came pouring in. With the build’s finishing touches still needing to be completed and paid for, the donations from these special donors were offered in memory of their dear friend.  One particular family was extremely generous, and in honour of Curt’s precious name, we will name the kitchen after him. Curt Garland’s life and name live on here with The Salvation Army, now and forever.

Seniors? Let the Cooking begin!

The Prince George Council of Seniors has signed on as a key stakeholder in this project. They will be moving their Meals on Wheels program into the Community Kitchen, where they can have an open space without any stairs! They are also members of the Community Kitchen Advisory Committee. A Community Kitchen in and of itself isn’t all that innovative; however, the approach of design, implementation and management is innovative. The Committee meets quarterly to advise The Salvation Army about design ideas, equipment needs, functionality, fees, management, stakeholders, and overall thoughts.

Next Steps? Let’s Cook!

As the build and setup nears its completion, we seek members to join the Committee and stakeholders who wish to use the Kitchen. If you are interested in knowing more, send us an email at princegeorge.program@salvationarmy.ca.