Volunteer Spotlight: Carolyn Humphreys
Long before the Dartmouth North Community Food Centre opened its doors, Carolyn Humphreys was looking for a way to give back.
“Healthy food has always been a passion of mine,” she says. An online search brought Carolyn to the Dartmouth Family Centre where a growing focus on food was already taking shape. “I started volunteering at cooking classes for kids and adults. I did that for two years before the food centre opened.”
“Everyone is equally welcome. Everyone is invited to share what they can offer and receive what they need…all in a way that is just so positive. We all need these places where we can participate and learn and contribute.”
One day Carolyn mentioned another one of her passions – yoga. As a trained instructor, she loved creating opportunities for people to breathe and move their body in a way that’s healthy and safe. And that’s when Friday Yoga at the Dartmouth North Community Food Centre was born.
Every week the dining tables are pushed to the side of the room and people of all ages, shapes and sizes gather together to breathe, move and relax.
“We practice gentle yoga. It’s good for anybody. You can sit in a chair. You can stand. Everyone is welcome and everyone can participate,” says Carolyn, who has led the class for two years.
Having classes in the food centre makes it more accessible for people living in the neighbourhood and because it’s not a yoga studio, there’s “a sense of comfort and safety.”
People often tell Carolyn how much they enjoy the weekly class. “I hear ‘Wow, I feel so much better.’ Or ‘My body is really feeling relaxed.’ You can see changes in people over the weeks that they come,” she says.
After class there is always some food and social time – staples of every program at the Community Food Centre. “We talk about food and health issues and continue the conversation. There’s a great sense community.”
Every week the dining tables are pushed to the side of the room and people of all ages, shapes and sizes gather together to breathe, move and relax.
“We practice gentle yoga. It’s good for anybody. You can sit in a chair. You can stand. Everyone is welcome and everyone can participate,” says Carolyn, who has led the class for two years.
Having classes in the food centre makes it more accessible for people living in the neighbourhood and because it’s not a yoga studio, there’s “a sense of comfort and safety.”
People often tell Carolyn how much they enjoy the weekly class. “I hear ‘Wow, I feel so much better.’ Or ‘My body is really feeling relaxed.’ You can see changes in people over the weeks that they come,” she says.
After class there is always some food and social time – staples of every program at the Community Food Centre. “We talk about food and health issues and continue the conversation. There’s a great sense community.”