A Look Inside Our Kitchen
Nourishing Hope
The oneROOF Youth Services Kitchen & Our Partnership with the Food Bank of Waterloo Region
At oneROOF Youth Services, we understand that food is more than just a basic need — it's a pathway to stability, dignity, and community. The sharing of food is a vital part of the support system we offer to youth experiencing homelessness or at risk. The kitchen at oneROOF Youth Services is powered by the generosity of our community and the culinary expertise of our head chef, Madeline Watkins. Youth are actively involved in meal preparation, service, and cleanup. Every day, this space provides more than just meals; it offers comfort, routine, and a place where young people can gather, connect, and feel cared for.
Our Kitchen’s Impact
The oneROOF Youth Services kitchen provides a variety of daily meals and snacks, serving anywhere from 15,000-30,000 meals a year. In a six-month span, we have served over 3,200 lunches, 2600 dinners, and countless snacks and drinks. Our weekly food hamper program, held every Thursday from 1 to 5 p.m., providing essential groceries to young people in need. Even so, every season brings new challenges as our service numbers continue to rise each year.
“These hampers are designed to help folks supplement their groceries every week with items they may not otherwise be able to afford, such as dry and canned goods, frozen meals and proteins, and some fresh options as well”
— Madeline Watkins, oneROOF Youth Services Chef
What Keeps Us Going
The success of our kitchen would not be possible without the ongoing support of our incredible community partners. One of our strongest allies is the Food Bank of Waterloo Region, whose generous contributions help us serve nutritious, well-balanced meals to youth who access oneROOF. Through this partnership, we are able to access high-quality food, including fresh produce, pantry staples, and prepared items that make a real difference in our meal programs.
“Founded in 1984, The Food Bank of Waterloo Region (The Food Bank) was the first organization of its kind in Ontario dedicated to providing emergency food. Forty-one years after incorporation, The Food Bank continues to evolve to meet the community’s needs so that no one in Waterloo region experiences hunger.
The Food Bank of Waterloo Region functions as a distribution centre, so we don’t give out food directly from our location. Instead, we work with the Cambridge Food Bank to lead the Community Food Assistance Network. This means we acquire essential food items, fulfill orders, and distribute fresh, frozen, and non-perishable food to partner organizations across Waterloo region.”
Source from www.thefoodbank.ca
Thanks to this collaboration, our kitchen can serve hundreds of meals each week. Whether it’s a breakfast snack to start the day, a to go lunch, or a comforting dinner, every dish is made with care and served with compassion. These meals are often the first step toward building trust and helping youth engage with other essential services such as housing support, mental health care, and education.
We’re deeply grateful to the Food Bank of Waterloo Region for helping us nourish not only bodies, but also futures. Together, we’re building a stronger, more compassionate community — one meal at a time.
Youth In The Kitchen
Beyond the meals themselves, our kitchen also offers valuable learning opportunities. Youth can participate in meal prep, learn basic cooking skills, and gain confidence in the kitchen. For many, this hands-on experience is a step toward greater independence and self-sufficiency, which aligns with our mission to support youth on their journey toward stability and well-being.
Our fully-equipped, on-site kitchen, provides the opportunity for staff to incorporate cooking, food preparation, and kitchen maintenance into our programming, giving youth the chance to develop essential life skills and leave feeling empowered.
Our employment and education program, Change4Change, kickstarts a meaningful career journey for young people facing barriers to employment. Offering job placements in retail, food service, property management, woodworking and more, young people leave this program with the tools, job experience and employment references needed to thrive in the workforce.
Our current Chaneg4Change cohort, comprised of ten young people, each working towards their own employment and educational goals, will be spending 4-6 hours per week in our kitchen. By the end of their 12-week journey, all will have obtained their food handler's certificates and gained countless culinary and service skills. As an organization dedicated to serving youth, the development of life skills and the ability to involve our young people in daily tasks, such as food preparation and kitchen maintenance, is paramount.
How To Help
oneROOF Youth Services welcomes monetary donations at any time!
Volunteers and recurring donations are the fuel that powers our ability to serve. They say, “it takes a village to raise a child,” but we serve multiple youth every day, all of whom are in need of positive role models. If you’re looking to make a difference in your community outside of donating funds, consider lending your unique skill set.
Are you a wiz in the kitchen? Join Chef Madeline and teach your favourite recipe to some eager young learners. Have a green thumb? Consider volunteering to run a gardening program. Diversity is the spice of life, and we want to expose our young people to as many opportunities for growth as possible. Learn more about volunteering here.