When Ikram arrived in Montreal in 2017, she had no familiar touchstones. Originally from Sudan, she spoke neither French nor English. After a long and exhausting journey, she settled in Quebec with her husband and their four daughters.
“I didn’t know anybody here. I had no friends, no family, and I didn’t speak the language. It was very hard,” recalls Ikram, who left her country in the hope of offering a better future to her children.
Everything was new, demanding and intimidating. Ikram did her best to feed her family and adjust to her new life. Then one day, a neighbour suggested she go to The Dépôt.
A gateway to essential services
Located in the heart of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (NDG), The Dépôt Community Food Centre is recognized by local residents as a true beacon in the community. Its mission is to provide access to nutritious and delicious food through programs that bring people together to grow, cook, share, and take action to end food insecurity.
In practical terms, The Dépôt offers a monthly food market where people facing financial hardship can access groceries in exchange for a modest contribution. The Resto Dépôt provides a welcoming space where neighbourhood residents can enjoy healthy meals at low cost twice a week.
Agencies working in food security often serve as a gateway to a continuum of community services.
“Often people will come here first for the food aid. Then we take the time to understand their needs and break down the barriers,” explains Rachel Schleifer, Advocacy and Engagement Project Coordinator. “We’re there for them when they’re ready.”
Because food insecurity is often linked to other issues related to poverty, The Dépôt also provides support and referral services, helping people connect with a trusted network of community resources in NDG and across Montreal.
That is exactly what Ikram discovered when she first walked through The Dépôt’s doors. “When I came here, they translated everything for me because I didn’t speak the language, and they guided me,” she recalls. “They gave me all the information I needed.”
One step at a time, she was connected with resources to learn French and English. She passed the exam for her driver’s licence, an important step toward greater independence and freedom in her daily life. Then Ikram enrolled in an accounting course.
Discovering an extended family
Beyond the practical assistance she received, it is above all the human connections that Ikram remembers.
“I feel that The Dépôt is my home. The people who work here, I see them as my family.” Ikram quickly became involved in the agency’s activities and began volunteering.
“I met Ikram during a community kitchen workshop,” recalls Rachel Schleifer. “We cooked dishes from her country together. It was a wonderful way to share her culture and introduce Sudanese cuisine to people in the neighbourhood.”
“The Dépôt truly integrated me into the community,” says Ikram. “I volunteered here for two years, and I definitely want to keep helping, especially in the kitchen.”
Thanks to The Dépôt, Ikram regained her sense of agency. Today, her children speak three languages fluently. Her husband works in the community sector. And she is actively looking for a job in early childhood education.
“I feel more confident, stronger. With The Dépôt, my life has done a 360-degree turn,” she says.
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