82-Year-Old Grows Kitchen Food Bank to Serve 100 Weekly

When Sharon Sparkes opened her kitchen doors to neighbors in need two decades ago, only three people showed up. Today, her Food Cupboard at Gathering Table church in Thunder Bay serves up to 100 people every second week.

What started as a small operation run from her home has become a lifeline for the downtown community. On the second and fourth Sunday of each month, doors open at 11:30 a.m. on Pearl Street for just one hour.

But Sharon does things differently than most food banks. She created a menu system where clients choose from at least 14 items instead of receiving a pre-packed box. "I don't want them to have to just take something that they don't really eat," she explains.

At 81 years old and turning 82 this summer, Sharon shows no signs of slowing down. She runs the program with a team of volunteers that includes both church members and the very clients she serves.

The clients who volunteer are learning skills many never had the chance to develop. They practice organizing inventory, checking expiration dates, and safe food handling. Some are gaining the confidence to knock on doors looking for employment because they're socializing again.

Sharon hosts lunch on delivery Fridays as her way of saying thank you. These meals give everyone a chance to connect and build community beyond just handing out groceries.

Sunny's Take

Sharon's approach transformed what could have been just another food distribution point into something much richer. By inviting clients to volunteer, she created a space where people gain dignity along with dinner.

Her mother planted these seeds of generosity decades ago in Schreiber, a small railroad town. During the 1950s, when unemployed workers traveled through searching for jobs, Sharon's parents told their priest to send hungry travelers to their door. "I've never ever forgotten that this is how we should treat people in need," Sharon says.

When told she'd receive a $200 donation for the Food Cupboard, her voice cracked with emotion. "Oh! Awesome! Thank you, thank you, we'll put it to good use."

Thunder Bay's heart beats a little stronger thanks to one woman who decided her kitchen could hold more than just her own family's meals.