By BECKY THOMAS
Staff Reporter
Thanks to a Cheney resident and several community organizations, citizens in need can enjoy a free, hot meal once a month at the United Church of Christ.
The Feed Cheney Free Restaurant is the brainchild of Natalie Tauzin, who was challenged to create a project as part of a leadership training course.
“It had been in the back of my mind,” Tauzin said, pointing out that Cheney had a food bank and various other social services, but lacked a place where people could get a free meal.
She started working on the project in August and enlisted help from the Women and Children's Free Restaurant in Spokane, which uses food donated from restaurants and volunteer labor to make meals for struggling families. Tauzin said director Marlene Alford was glad to help, supplying food and volunteers to cook it.
Feed Spokane, another non-profit agency, also signed on to help by providing the Feed Cheney Free Restaurant with pre-packaged frozen meals, so when residents come for the monthly meal they'll get another meal to make at home later.
Armed with food and support, Tauzin said the local community also embraced the idea. The United Church of Christ, 423 N. Sixth St., agreed to provide space for the restaurant, held the last Monday of each month. Cheney Outreach, the food bank, clothing bank and EWU groups have signed on to spread the word to people who could benefit from a free meal.
“My other goal is to provide more nutritious foods,” Tauzin said, and she's working with the Cheney Community Garden as well as various local food distributors to donate fresh, seasonal food to the restaurant.
The Feed Cheney Free Restaurant opened its doors at the UCC Feb. 22 with food for 100 people, tablecloths, flowers, music and volunteers.
“Unfortunately we had no community participants,” she said. “It ended up being a great dress rehearsal.”
For the past few weeks Tauzin has worked with the participating agencies to spread the word about the free restaurant, and has also changed her approach.
“Now the plan is for people to bring people they know who could use the service,” she said. “That way it might be less intimidating.”
Tauzin said she wants the free restaurant to be more about community building and healthy eating and less about charity.
“It's really just investing in our own community,” she said, pointing out that there are no qualifications to partake. “It's all about sharing that meal.”
The restaurant will be open March 29 from 5-6:30 p.m. in the UCC fellowship hall. It is scheduled to be open the last Monday of each month with the same hours through October.
Tauzin said the restaurant is a year-long pilot program, and though she's starting small, she hopes to create a model that can be used in other small communities in the area.
For more information about the restaurant and volunteer opportunities contact Tauzin at 324-1659 or [email protected].
Becky Thomas can be reached at [email protected].
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