This Saskatchewan woman is helping fill bellies and hearts with a free grocery store
Darlene Hartshorn is a mother and grandmother from Warman who is making a difference by helping those who need a hand up.
“I decided we needed to do something, so we opened the Hand Up Cupboard,” she told CTV News.
Hartshorn converted her attached garage into a free grocery store full of donated items. The shelves of her small one room store are filled with food and toiletries. Toilet paper and baby items are always in high demand.
“We had hockey players, cheerleaders, independent stores, schools, donating. It was absolutely amazing,” she said.
Those groups all donated before Christmas, providing about 200 kilograms of food and supplies in that December drive alone.
Her store is open twice a week, and shoppers are invited to stock up once every two weeks.
“When they do come they do have to show proof that they live within my jurisdiction, and then, OK, we’re good to go. I’m not going to judge you. I don’t judge you. Zero judgement whatsoever,” she said.
Hartshorn isn’t surprised by the need in her community, with economic pressures hitting people hard.
“Absolutely, times have changed and especially with the food prices going up and people losing their jobs.”
Local grocery stores are pitching in to ensure essential food items are available.
“I want to make sure people get meat. When you say would you like a steak they say, ‘are you serious?’ They get pork chops, steak, hamburger, ribs, pork loin,” she said.
Darlene Hartshorn started a free grocery store to help feed folks in her community struggling to make ends meet. (Carla Shynkaruk / CTV News)
At the outset, she thought she’d be doing a lot more fundraising. Thanks to all the community support, she doesn’t have to.
“I’m not a crier but it takes everything I have not to cry because the generosity is not what I was counting on when I opened this.”
She’s helped hundreds of families and seniors since starting up 2 years ago and the stories she hears could also bring her to tears, but she wants to help shoppers focus on the positive — at least while they’re in her shop.
To help with this she put up a sign at the entrance saying “no crying in the cupboard.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.