‘We've seen some very happy tears': Initiative providing traditional foods to evacuated elders

19 hours ago

Grace Masse with the MKO Harvester Program discusses how the initiative is helping to provide traditional food to evacuated elders.
While many First Nation community members remain away from home due to the wildfire threats, one program is ensuring evacuated elders still have access to their traditional foods.
Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) has partnered with Food Matters Manitoba to provide meals to elders staying in hotels and shelters. The traditional Indigenous foods being offered include moose stew, fried moose meat, berries, potatoes, fish, bannock and cakes.
'A lot of our elders don't like the spicy foods and are not used to a lot of the catered meals, such as burritos and all different kinds of stuff that is not in their diet,' explained Grace Masse, who is part of the MKO's Harvester Program.
Masse said the program has left the elders feeling grateful, as many of them are experiencing unwanted weight loss because the foods in the catered meals are not part of their typical diet.
'We've seen some very happy tears,' she said.
So far, the MKO has helped to feed thousands of evacuees and will continue to provide help as the situation progresses.
• With files from CTV's Rachel Lagacé.