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“I’m just doing what I know to do,” said Lynn Wannop, owner of Coco’s Cafe with one of the biggest hearts in Jasper.
Wannop and her team at Coco’s have made some big changes since the COVID-19 outbreak.
In store there's now zero person-to-person contact and new delivery options have been launched. In the outside world, Wannop was one of the first Jasperites to offer support to her community.
“We are all in the same boat,” she said.
“We are really lucky, it’s a small community so everybody knows everybody and we are surrounded by amazing people.
“We can only protect ourselves and help keep our seniors and sick people healthy.”
As well as fresh batches of sourdoughs and bagels, Coco’s has started to make frozen meals for customers to bake at home. There’s also an option to buy food for someone in need and have it delivered anonymously.
And Wannop said if you can’t afford food, just talk to her.
“I can’t not help if people need it,” she said.
“Get up and go to work, that’s what I do.”
And while the number of people reaching out for help is low at the moment, Wannop is getting her system in place for when it hits.
“I think two weeks,” she said. “That’s when it will be very different. Layoffs will come in and people will be sick of cooking for themselves.”
Wannop is working hard to keep the community fed, but also has two young children who are now at home due to school closures.
“We’ve been teaching them life skills like laundry, the importance of washing hands,” said Wannop.
“We read to them daily anyway, but every house is different.
“We are lucky in Jasper that we can go outside and still socially isolate. Go for a bike ride, go for a walk, we are lucky.”
