A volunteer organization based in Moorefield is working to turn excess produce from Canadian fields into meals for those in need in Third World countries.
Reapers of Hope is an arm of Christian Aid Ministries (CAM) of Waterloo, which was founded in 1984 as a non-profit charitable organization through which Amish and Mennonite churches and individuals could “minister to physical and spiritual needs around the world,” the CAM website states.
CAM is based in Ohio and the Waterloo arm of the organization was headquartered in Wallenstein until opening operations at the former Rona building centre property in Moorefield.
CAM purchased the building in 2012 and converted the warehouse facility into a modern food processing plant that opened in April.
The Wallenstein facility is still used for sorting donated clothes, but the administration is now run from the Moorefield location, which also includes a Christian book store.
Reapers of Hope is one of numerous aid programs operated by CAM worldwide. Others programs involve sponsoring orphans overseas, working to help eastern European families become self-sufficient, disaster response services and distributing medicine.
The idea of a food production facility flows from the abundance of produce grown in this country.
“We live in a productive, blessed land and there are a lot of vegetables grown,” said Irvin Kraemer, general manager of the operation. “A lot of it is graded out and doesn’t make table stock.”
Producers donate tons of vegetables that may be too large or unsuitable for stores shelves for other reasons, but are suitable for consumption.
At the Moorefield facility, volunteers cut and cull the produce, which is washed and dehydrated to form a healthy vegetable soup mix. The soup is packaged in vacuum-sealed three-pound bags, each of which, after soaking overnight in 25 litres of water, can provide 100 meals. Running at full capacity, Kraemer said the plant can produce about 800 bags, enough to provide 80,000 meals, in a single day.
“It’s just incredible,” said Kraemer. “We feel blessed to be able to produce this much food so that we can feed the hungry and the needy across the ocean.”
Between 40 and 50 volunteers are needed during mornings when the plant is operating. In the afternoons, only a few workers are needed to run the drying operations. Starting this month, production is up to four days a week.
Volunteers come from the various Mennonite churches in the area, as well as from other local churches and individual volunteers.
Although Reapers of Hope is run through a Mennonite organization, Kraemer notes “everyone is welcome to help out.”
While volunteers must be at least 14 years old, Kraemer points out there is no upper age limit and stools are provided for those who prefer to sit while they work.
Both volunteers and vegetables have been plentiful so far, but Kraemer said it may be more difficult to run at full capacity through the early summer months.
“That will be a challenge during June and July … last year’s crop will be pretty much diminished and the new year’s crop won’t be coming up until August,” he explained.
Kraemer said the goal is for Reapers of Hope to be a year-round operation.
Once the food is processed, the soup mix is packaged in large barrels for transportation to a CAM facility in Ephrata, Pennsylvania for distribution around the globe to the needy in countries like Romania, Haiti, South Korea, Liberia and Cambodia.
Reapers of Hope accepts donations of food and monetary contributions, in addition to volunteer help. It can be contacted by calling the office at 519-638-0828 or through e-mail at admin@camcanada.ca.
