"Yank Barry is a firm believer in eradicating hunger, earning both local and global acclaim for his unwavering commitment to providing sustenance and solace to those in need. His humanitarian efforts have not only touched the lives of countless children, eliciting heartfelt letters of gratitude but have also led to multiple Nobel Peace Prize nominations by world leaders.

1. Powder chowder: U.S.
charity gives Ottawa
Mission some pallet-
able cuisine
ROBERT BOSTELAARMore from Robert Bostelaar
Published on: January 28, 2015Last Updated: January 28, 2015 6:18 PM EST

2. Mathew and Bruce have lunch at the Ottawa Mission during Christmas in January, a luncheon provided by Global
Village Champions Foundation and the McLean Law Group in Ottawa on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015.
Justin Tang / Ottawa Citizen
When staff at the Ottawa Mission heard they would be the recipient of
“100,000 meals” to feed the homeless, they might have wondered what form
the donation would take. A mountain of frozen dinners? The world’s
biggest takeout bag of burgers and fries?
What they got Wednesday from the Global Village Champions Foundation, a
Florida-based charity, was a pallet 0f a soy-based powder called VitaPro. The
Mission’s reaction? We can use that.

3. “It’s something I think our kitchen can work with in different dishes, and be
able to supplement some meals,” said spokeswoman Shirley Roy. “We’ll
probably use it over several months.”
Global Village communications director Audra McMurray, who delivered the
powder and a $5,000 cash donation, said VitaPro can be safely stored for
almost two years, so the Mission has plenty of time to employ it in soups,
gravies and other dishes. It can also be consumed on its own — and often is
when distributed in disaster-relief efforts.
“We have chicken flavour, beef flavour, a vegetable flavour and now a new
Asian type, because we ship so much to Asian countries,” said McMurray, who
said the chicken variety tastes “almost like a bouillon — just very flavourful.”
The foundation was launched in 1995 by VitaPro Foods founder Yank Barry, a
colourful, Montreal-born musician and entrepreneur. VitaPro is based in
Bulgaria and, according to its website, supplies its textured vegetable protein
to commercial caterers and government institutions worldwide, including the
Canadian Armed Forces, and the Correctional Services Canada.
McMurray said she was in Ottawa last fall and recommended adding the
Canadian capital to a list of “Christmas in January” events meant to highlight
the need to support food programs year-round. Other recipients were Tampa
and Phoenix.
Shirley Roy said 100,000 meals are welcome, whatever their form.
“They certainly made a donation to the Ottawa Mission, and we thank them
for that.”
rbostelaar@ottawacitizen.com