Ashley Rissling, volunteer at The Root Cellar Food & Wellness Hub. (Photo Courtesy Bob Schneider)

By Gates Guarin

Root Cellar doing more than just putting food on the table

Nov 3, 2022 | 4:45 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Ashley Rissling has been a volunteer at the Root Cellar Food & Wellness Hub for more than a year now, spending her time between the office space, kitchen and reception. But her time at the Root Cellar didn’t start the way you would expect.

Rissling is recovering from a life which included drug use.

“I’m in a drug treatment court program and we have to do-had to do 100 volunteer hours, so I did my hours at other places and then I came to the Root Cellar and my hours got finished rather quickly,” says Rissling.

It was the time she put in at the Root Cellar that got her to stick around, helping those in the community utilize its services. Rissling is no stranger to what the organization has to offer, as she is also currently a client. She had been using the services provided on and off for a decade, and uses being able to see and help people who are going through the same difficult times as her motivation.

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“It makes me feel really good and humble because I, in my addiction, have done a lot of bad things in the community and this is my way of giving back to the community.”

Food banks across the country are seeing record numbers of users, and the Root Cellar is no different. Melissa Mullis, executive director of the Root Cellar, says numbers have skyrocketed in the province with numbers increasing by 73 per cent. Mullis says a much wider demographic have had to lean on food supports.

“These aren’t just the people that you think are coming here, these are fixed-income seniors, these are people who are employed, these are your neighbours, your grandparents and your co-workers and the numbers are staggering and we should all be concerned,” Mullis says.

Rissling says the Root Cellar changed her perspective about having to use community services.

“Some people may be embarrassed to come here, and I was one of those people until I started volunteering and it made me feel more comfortable being here, so it’s- people utilize it and it’s here to help,” Rissling says.

Even though the number of people using food banks continue to grow, Rissling is proud to be part of an organization and a community dedicated to helping so many in the city.

“That’s one of my favourite parts, because I do know some people that come in here, so I am living proof that there is hope in recovery, and also being able to help those who I don’t know is a really good feeling also.”