Connecting North Central: Where People Come to Find What They Need

Along Fifth Avenue in Regina, Saskatchewan, stands a navy-shingled building with bright red doors: the North Central Family Centre (NCFC). The centre offers a variety of services to uplift families and the wider community; it is both a welcoming gathering place and a much-needed source of support for those struggling to access essentials, like food.

“North Central is a food desert,” says Cheryl, the centre’s Food and Nutrition Coordinator, “there are no grocery stores, just convenience stores like 7/11.”

She notes the Regina Food Bank is located on the other side of the city. “A lot of folks are walking or taking a bus, and traipsing through snow to get groceries just isn’t doable. Anything available in North Central —warming centres, resources — is so vital for people to survive,” Cheryl adds.

In addition to housing and outreach services, the centre offers free after-school programming for around 50-70 children and youth daily. Through Second Harvest, NCFC receives food donations from Sobey’s and other food businesses for their after-school snacks and meals. In North Central, where food access is limited, these resources are essential.  

“There's children fed every day. They get a snack, supper and then a snack afterwards. And if there's anything left over… It's actually encouraged that the kids take that home to their families,” shares Cheryl. 

Some of the youth even assist in the kitchen, where they learn about food preparation and teamwork.

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“Kitchens function much like a ship, and it takes a crew, not a captain, to run a ship,” says Terrell, an NCFC volunteer who shares a strong connection with the youth who visit the centre. “It wouldn’t be a family centre without a lot of kids to feed.”

NCFC also distributes daily food hampers filled with essentials like dairy, bread, cereals, and pasta, serving a wide-ranging community of families, youth, elders and newcomers.

“The elders get hampers once a week, and [NCFC] also hosts an elder bingo,” Cheryl shares. “They get a hot breakfast, yogurt, muffins and sometimes the bingo prize is a beautiful pie or cake.”

The centre is known for its warm environment where people feel supported as they overcome their challenges, whether it be navigating paperwork, finding the right services, or simply needing someone to talk to. 

"You know, they look to those folks for friendship, support," says Cheryl, "everybody's welcome."

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