No one goes hungry promises Melani Bastians in Milton, Ontario, Canada

9273 Your Story : 12 Dec 2020

Melani Bastians pleads people to be the Bridge between God and his people.

No one goes hungry promises Melani Bastians in Milton, Ontario, Canada

It takes a person to start the motion and the rest follow. Over the years women have empowered society and changed the world. We have a Milton woman, who thinks money is not significant but kindness is. Meet Miltons very own, Melani Bastians who strongly believes God has a plan for her life.

Melani Bastians has recently started a campaign in Milton where No One Goes Hungry. From being a homemaker, having raised four daughters to the Head Chef, restaurant owner, and philanthropist, melani wears many hats, although her journey wasnt a piece of cake. She believes God has a plan for her and her trust in Him kept her going all these years. The realization came to her after melani was shattered with a divorce and ended up in Haltons Womens place. Heartbroken, Melani had so many questions for her life and her future, she was worried about her daughters. With no friends and family on the side, Melani was examining her conscious, she wanted alterations. While she was at the shelter, she caught sight of other women who landed there due to abusive relationships. Something was penetrating within her, she was trying to figure out how to fill the gap in the system. Melani was wondering how she could change things for her and now for the others too; this was when something enlightened in her, she kept following the signs and is now unstoppable. Soon, she had her own restaurant business, got married to a person who gave her the freedom to be what she is today.

Melani gives the credit for her thriving career to her father, a restauranteur based in Winnipeg. Melani learned some of the crucial lessons about culinary and life from her dad. Melani is of Sri Lankan descent, she was born in Columbo and lived until she was 9 years old. Her father worked in Saudi Arabia for twenty years and earned a reputation within the company. Melani joined her mother and two brothers to live with him in Saudi Arabia where they spent four years, and soon after the Gulf War started, they landed here in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1989. melani laughs to say, She didnt know women had nose hair until she reached Winnipeg, and everything froze in winters. Melani's father didnt only teach her business skills but the importance of giving. He believes that only kind deeds will be with you when you leave abode, money doesnt matter at all. Her father still runs the famous restaurant chain, Taste of Sri-Lanka in Winnipeg, both her brothers chose to stay away from the culinary business and studied finance instead, while melani took the legacy and walked in her fathers footsteps of running a successful restaurant business including philanthropy.

Melani was working as an Intern in her fathers restaurant at the age of 13, she loved to learn how sizzling a dish can turn out and was amazed to master the art of a Chefs knife. There was once a phase when she got bored and wanted to explore hairstyling as a profession. She studied hairstyling and learned to use scissors instead of a chefs knife. Although the love of culinary arts never left her.

To enhance her skills in the kitchen, Melani studied Culinary Arts at a Winnipeg College. She was married and moved to Milton in 2008, the next 12 years consumed with raising four daughters and maintaining the marriage, yet God had other plans for her. She got divorced and was left to discover her fate. melani talks about an event where she did a speech at the Peel Regional Teachers Conference, where long-term Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion was also happened to be in attendance. In her speech, Melani spoke about the struggles of being a single woman with four young daughters that left Hazel in awe. This experience brought another turning point to Melani's life, the broken vision somehow took shape and things worked out she had visualized them. Apart from running her philanthropic activities, busy restaurant business, and a household, Melani is also raising five gorgeous daughters at home. Her youngest is now 3 years old. melani is trying to pass on the same values to her children that she inherited from her father.

Melani has partnered with the Food for Life and Caribbean Association of Halton for a new campaign to feed people who are suffering and hesitate to reach out. She mentioned the middle class is more vulnerable that depends on only one family income, has no Govt. support, and shy out to ask for help. Caribbean Association of Haltonhas installed a fridge at Caribbean Vibes Restaurant in Milton where anyone can visit on a Sunday and pick-up cooked meals and groceries, no questions asked. Melani is also helping at Milton Bibles Church on Wednesdays where they distribute free meals. The vision is to carry on with the Community fridge as an ongoing activity. Food for life is helping the cause by providing free produce and groceries. The aim is to start similar events in other regions and to replicate the vision in other municipalities. The group has already announced NOGH starting in Oakville soon.

Melani's delighted that the neighborhood restaurants are pitching in and is hoping the word will spread and more community members will join in to help with other activities. She dreams to foster this cause as a community kitchen that runs around the year.

You can also be a part of this humanitarian initiative by donating your time or resources. People who want to volunteer can email at HungerFreeMilton@gmail.com

Written by Vandana Raj Bhatt:-

Vandana is a recruiter with a passion for marketing, and PR. Shes a blogger and content creator. Shes avid traveller and photography lover!! Writing has been a part of her life. She dreams to be a motivational speaker or a coach in the future. She wants to invest her time in community works and indulge in building others.