In 2022, Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) purchased the former Nanaimo Bakery building in Nanaimo with a vision for what it could become. As we listened to community partners, food programs, and local entrepreneurs, one need kept rising to the surface: affordable access to licensed, 24-hour commercial kitchen space was extremely limited.
So we reimagined the bakery. What was once a traditional production kitchen was thoughtfully transformed into the Rising Hope Community Kitchen. Today, it is a welcoming, fully equipped space where local food creators can develop their skills, launch ventures, and turn food business dreams into reality.
From the beginning, this project has been guided by a simple belief: food is more than nourishment. It is a pathway to dignity, connection, and opportunity. Rising Hope strengthens local food security and improves access to safe, affordable kitchen space so more people can cook, preserve, prepare, and share food within our community.
Alongside the commercial kitchen, our teaching kitchen offers home-style equipment designed for non-profits, community groups, and local organizations. This flexible space supports hands-on learning, small group programs, and culturally responsive food initiatives. Together, these spaces create an inclusive food hub that supports the full spectrum of community food needs.
Support the Kitchen
If you’d like to champion the non-profits and community groups bringing people together in our Teaching Kitchen, you can lend a hand right here. Your gift helps fund hands-on food programs, shared meals, skills training, and better access to nutritious food for people across our community. It is a direct investment in food security and learning spaces, not the commercial rental kitchen.
Support community cooking, connection, and confidence building by donating at the link below and help more neighbours gather, learn, and thrive through the Rising Hope Community Kitchen Teaching Kitchen.
Rising Hope Community Kitchen 