Art draws funds for food charity | Local News

A local business and several local artists are stepping up to help address food insecurity in the community by supporting the expansion of the Regional Food Distribution Association (RFDA) headquarters.

Bay Village Coffee is partnering with the RFDA on a new fundraising initiative called Mugs and Masterpieces in support of the RFDA’s Building Hope Campaign.

“Food insecurity is one of the biggest issues our community faces and here at Bay Village Coffee we’ve always been about giving back to the community and finding creative and different ways to help out in the community and make a difference,” said Alan Forbes, owner of Bay Village Coffee.

Mugs and Masterpieces is inviting the public to donate to the RFDA campaign and be entered into a draw to win artwork by five local artists.

The fundraiser will take place from Sept. 15 to Oct. 17, with the draw being held on the final day.

Artworks have been provided by Biljana Baker, Steve Gerow, May Porter, Dick Spooner and David Winters.

“They are incredible. I am just blown away,” Forbes said of the artwork. “It’s such a variety and there really is something for everyone. We are very grateful to the artists. We’ve always featured local artists here at Bay Village Coffee and it just felt like a natural fit.”

Baker has been an artist in the community for the past 35 years and she said a lot of people from outside the region don’t realize how much talent there is here.

“Food and art always go well together. I learned that from the start,” she said. “Artists are very much foodies, too. It was such a wonderful partnership. We can help in any way that we can and I was very honoured to be asked to be part of this.”

The RFDA launched its Building Hope Campaign at the beginning of the year in support of the expansion of its headquarters on Syndicate Avenue.

The 5,200 square-foot expansion will allow for the addition of a dedicated hamper preparation room, a vegetable processing room, wild game kitchen, an outdoor patio and sacred fire, and a community teaching kitchen and program spaces.

“We met with Alan from Bay Village and he was creative enough to come up with this really interesting idea and it is something where we can collect some funds from our donors but also have a way to give back to them as well,” said April Mercier, office manager with RFDA.

The goal of the Building Hope Campaign’s is to raise $1.5 million and Mercier said they are still $1 million short.

But with the help of unique fundraising initiatives like Mugs and Masterpieces and community partnership, she is confident the public will step up to help reach that goal.

“What’s really interesting and really cool is it doesn’t have to be only monetary donations that people give,” Mercier said. “We have artists jumping on board using their talents, we have wonderful business people in our community using their talents. So everybody giving what they can is how we are going to make it to our goal.”

Donations can be made at Bay Village Coffee. A $10 donation will provide a ballot to be entered into the draw and a card featuring the artist’s print. A $25 donation will provide a ballot, the card, and a complimentary regular coffee. A $50 donation will provide a ballot, card, and speciality beverage.

The draw will be held on Oct. 17.