A Very Large Hill of Beans
Every Friday The Local Community Food Centre in Stratford (thelocalcfc.org) serves free lunch to more than 200 hungry guests. On the first Friday in May, the centrepiece of the meal was ”Ragin’ Cajun Red Beans and Rice” and the star ingredient was red kidney beans, donated by the Stratford Unitarian congregation.
The Local had gratefully received 45 kilos of beans (both red kidney and black turtle) delivered by the Unitarians the week before. Beans are an important and versatile ingredient for Chef Lucy Dillinger and Assistant Chef Jules Charbonneau, who often use them in the Monday night dinners and Friday lunches they create. Beans also get cooked into chili and soups that stock the freezer, and dried beans are made available for free at the Local’s community market.
“Beans are huge,” said Julie Docker-Johnson, The Local’s Community Connector. “We could have a day where we don’t’ have much, but we’ve got beans, so we’ve got a base, and it can evolve from there.”
For more than 40 years, the humble bean has been the focus of a charitable project initiated by two long-time Unitarians and social activists, Jim Sannes and Ellen Papenburg. “We have been organising, fund raising and delivering Ontario grown, non-GMO beans to local food banks as a healthy source of protein,” said Papenburg.
The Unitarian bean project got its start in the 1980s, when Sannes and Papenburg were living in Toronto and were members of the social action committee of the Northwest Unitarian Fellowship. They, along with many of their colleagues, were vegetarian. When local food banks were looking for turkey donations at Christmas, they decided to give beans instead. They collected $100 in donations and went looking for beans to buy.
Sannes contacted the Ontario Coloured Bean Growers Association (now Ontario Bean Growers) who agreed to match their donation, and referred them to Grand River Beans in Paris, Ontario to buy the beans. “We went there thinking we would get 200 pounds for our $100 and ended up with 400 pounds. Quite a load! Our congregation came together, and we made up festive bags of beans with ribbons, spices and recipes for bean chili and donated these to the local food bank,” said Papenburg.
And so, the Bean Project was born and took off. At its peak, Unitarians were delivering beans in one-tonne loads to the Daily Bread Food Bank. “At some point, due to Jim’s efforts and persistence, beans surpassed peanut butter as the most-requested commodity,” said Papenberg. Sannes soon became known as “The Bean Man. “Everyone used to think I was a bean grower instead of a computer technician and programmer,” said Sannes. “I never farmed a day in my life!” Since the project began, Unitarians have provided over 50 tonnes of beans to food banks across Ontario.
Sannes and Papenburg now live in Kitchener and are members of the Stratford Unitarian congregation. The bean project has been scaled back since its heyday and health challenges keep Sannes from being actively involved, but his legacy continues. “I am delighted and grateful that the long-time Bean Project will be continued by the Stratford Unitarians,” he said.
While patrons at The Local may not be aware of the remarkable provenance of the beans they are eating, they always appreciate the hearty and nutritious meals they provide.
Tax deductible donations can be made by e-transfer to treasurerstratfordunitarians@gmail.com.
The Bean Man Jim Sannes and Ellen Papenburg
The Local Community Food Centre Dishes Up Unitarian Beans
Julie Docker-Johnson bagging free beans in the community market
