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New food hub home to Hungry Heart Cafe and new programs to help food
insecure

   Abby Cole
   | CBC News | Posted: January 25, 2026 9:30 AM | Last Updated: 2
   hours ago

   The space brings Stella’s Circle and Food First N.L. together
   under one roof

   Image | Hungry Heart Café

   Caption: Hungry Heart Cafe moved from Rawlins Cross to a
   collaborative community space in Pleasantville. (Leila
   Beaudoin/CBC)
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   Two years after the Hungry Heart Cafe closed its doors in
   Rawlins Cross, it's open again in the Pleasantville
   neighbourhood of St. John's.
   And with it is a new space aimed at reaching more people who
   are food insecure — Our Table. The program brings together
   Stella’s Circle and Food First N.L. under one roof, and had a
   grand opening on Friday.
   Hungry Heart chef Brian Hewitt said it felt “incredible” to
   finally reach opening day.
   “It feels absolutely amazing to be able to open up to the
   residents of Pleasantville and the surrounding areas to really
   make sure that we're filling a need that really wasn't here
   before," he said.
   “We really want to make sure that we're offering food at a
   great price so that it's accessible to everybody."

   Image | Brian Hewitt

   Caption: Hungry Heart chef Brian Hewitt says it's amazing to
   finally open again after two years. (Leila Beaudoin/CBC)
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   Stella Circle's lead executive officer Laura Winters told CBC
   News that beyond affordable food the cafe, as a social
   enterprise, is hiring people who face barriers to employment.
   “It's a point of entry for folks, and we hope it's a point of
   connection and care as well,” she said.
   She said she also wants Our Table to be a space for the
   community.
   “We want our neighbors who live in the neighborhood to come in
   to learn about what's happening in the community," Winters
   said.

Fresh food for sale

   Our Table will host Food First N.L.'s market, and be a location
   to collect food from the Avalon Food Hub once a month.
   The program is called Food on the Move. It will host fresh and
   affordable food markets in various locations across St. John’s,
   while the Avalon Food Hub sells fresh food from local vendors
   online.

   Image | Josh Smee

   Caption: Food First N.L. president Josh Smee says Our Table
   will be also be a community centre for people to connect.
   (Leila Beaudoin/CBC)
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   “It's going to be a real centre for people to come and connect
   with food in all sorts of ways in St. John's,” Food First N.L.
   president Josh Smee said.
   With food insecurity being seen as a growing challenge in
   Newfoundland and Labrador, Smee said it was important to create
   a space that makes accessing food easier.
   “Folks who might be struggling a little bit can feel
   comfortable coming, and know that there's some supports here,”
   he said.
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