A program that provides meals to children and seniors in need will be allowed to operate after a Good Samaritan came forward with a dishwasher.
Organizers at the Ward 5 Neighbourhood Centre in Halifax’s north end were told last week that they would have to shut down until they upgraded their dishwashing practices.
The provincial government says it didn’t want to have to shut down the program, which has been operating for nearly 40 years, but says the centre doesn’t meet provincial standards as it stands.
Doug MacDonald, the centre’s executive director, says government officials broke the news to him on Friday after someone called the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture to complain.
“The department’s been cooperative I think in terms of wanting to see us back in action,” says MacDonald.
The centre needs a food establishment permit, but it can’t get the permit until it installs two extra sinks – one dedicated to handwashing and one dedicated to sanitizing – or a commercial dishwasher.
When business owner Steve Williams heard about the centre’s predicament, he jumped at the chance to help.
“I thought of the dishwasher we actually had in storage,” says Williams.
This isn’t the first time the dishwasher has helped those in need; it was donated to a Halifax church several years ago. Williams says it still works fine, but has been in his storage unit since his church underwent renovations.
“God obviously provided something before we knew what it was needed for,” he says.
Williams has also lined up a carpenter, electrician and plumber to install the dishwasher at the centre.
MacDonald says he is grateful for the donation, but isn’t surprised by the display of Maritime generousity.
“People step up and I think it’s such a blessing that people do,” he says. “We’re hoping this will get us up and rolling quick.”
He hopes to have the dishwasher up and running within two weeks.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Kayla Hounsell
