Hannah Minzloff's Gluten-Free Pantry - Member Statement

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : I rise today to recognize Hannah Minzloff. When COVID-19 hit Nova Scotia, we were shuttered in our homes and workplaces closed. Many Nova Scotians walk a thin financial line between paycheques. One of the first places that resources are cut from a household budget is the grocery bill.

Consider also the ever-rising food prices and desertification of access to grocery stores, especially in parts of my constituency, Dartmouth South. The scenario created a real challenge for members of the community with specialty diets that require higher-cost food items. Hannah Minzloff stepped in with the Emergency Gluten-Free Pantry for people with celiac disease and gluten allergies, and my colleague for Dartmouth North stepped in with help in accommodating these items in their shared kitchen.

It was one of the earliest and most successful independent local food box providers. Because of her determination, Hannah was able to provide 320 individuals with gluten-free food boxes over the course of nine months during the pandemic, and for that we thank her.