The remote Nunavut community of Taloyoak is pushing to activate its soup kitchen as extreme winter conditions grip the area. Orange warnings for severe cold and yellow alerts for blizzards remain in effect, with wind chills dropping to -54 C.
Weather Hinders Emergency Efforts
Senior Administrative Officer Adham Adose announced that officials are reviewing the budget to fund temporary operations of the soup kitchen amid the harsh weather. However, extreme cold has caused plumbing problems, delaying the opening. “It appears we are experiencing a plumbing issue due to the extreme weather conditions. Our maintenance team is currently working to resolve it,” Adose stated.
Soup Kitchen Origins and Vision
Mayor Lenny Panigayak highlighted the facility’s recent conversion from former council chambers into a cooking and dining space, completed over a year ago. The initiative originated from the prior council, but ongoing operations lack steady funding. Panigayak aims to open it three to five days weekly, providing free meals. “There are people out there that are going to sleep hungry, even children they are going to sleep hungry,” he emphasized, noting social media posts where residents seek food donations.
He estimates at least 500 residents—about 40% of the 1,200-person community—face regular hunger. “To have it open would feed a lot of people, to make sure that they had something in their stomach at least that day and they go to sleep full.”
Resident Perspectives on Food Insecurity
Long-time resident Vera Paniloo, who has lived in Taloyoak for 25 years, supports regular operations. Groceries are prohibitively expensive, with two bags costing around $300. “If it was less… coulda bought more groceries, but like it’s too expensive to buy groceries now,” she said. Paniloo plans to deliver meals to elders unable to visit and grab bowls for herself and her mother.
Joshua Bressette, another local, argues a few days weekly falls short, especially for children who sometimes steal food to eat. Having faced food insecurity himself, he notes winter worsens the crisis due to rising prices and limited wages. “I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to work an income stable job at the moment, but whenever people don’t make a certain amount of wages during the winter season when the prices really go up, it can be really hard on themselves, and more so the family.”
Bressette favors daily service but doubts funding feasibility.
Funding Challenges and Current Use
Running the soup kitchen full-time could cost $50,000 annually for one staffer, excluding food, utilities, and additional personnel. Panigayak seeks support from the Kitikmeot Inuit Association and Nunavut government.
Currently, it operates intermittently, including a recent Christmas breakfast program for schoolchildren when classes were closed. The hamlet is also partnering with the school for hot lunch initiatives, pending funding confirmation.
