Newfoundland business owner Jerry Joy is taking it upon himself to help out evacuees and first responders in the ongoing wildfires in the only way he knows how: by feeding them.
Joy has run The Indian Express for seven years now, a quaint pair of stores in St. John’s and Paradise with a hearty traditional Indian (and sometimes not-so-traditional) menu.
His plan is to collaborate with local businesses and professionals to bring over 100 Jigg’s dinners to whoever might need them.
Joy is calling the event ‘Newfoundland Magic’, and for good reason: he sees it as giving back to a community that’s given so much to him.
“I started from nothing, and (now) I’m in a very good position,” he explained. “I’m always grateful about it. Every dime I have came from somebody here. I don’t know how to explain it — every time I do something, it helps somebody and comes back tenfold. I’m not worried about return on investment here — it comes back.”
Asked how he came to be charitable, Joy said it’s a direct result of his emigration to Canada.
“It’s an acquired quality after I came (here). I see it everywhere; that’s how Canadians are. And I, being a come from away Canadian, I should reflect those qualities.”
Accommodating local tastes
The original plan was to do what he’s always done: serve the food he knows for free to anyone struggling.
However, after putting the word out on Facebook recently, some of the responses he received indicated some would prefer cuisine they’re more familiar with.
“Most people that came in were not familiar with Indian food,” he said. “So they were asking, is it curry? Is it spicy? Is there anything else? I was thinking, I should not be doing this; I should do something that every Newfoundlander will enjoy and feel comforted (by).”
From there, Joy reached out to his longtime friend and supporter, Lucas Ernie, who he refers to as “Sensei.” The executive chef at Coleman’s, Ernie was happy to jump on board and lead the effort, as he’s no stranger to Jigg’s dinner or what it’s like to struggle.
“I grew up with nothing myself, and now I’m in a place where the fire wouldn’t affect me financially if I had to leave my house,” Ernie said.
“But I know there’s a lot of people out there that are in stress, (so) I’m there to help Jerry wherever I can.”
Local businesses are banding together
At first, the venture began for Ernie as a friend helping another, but when he mentioned it to Coleman’s, they were happy to help supply food.
Coleman’s, says Ernie, is the type of company to simply help and not announce it, so you likely won’t hear much about events like this or how they’ve saved small-town businesses, for example. In any case, it’s clear he takes pride in where he works.
Other businesses lending their support include social media company HeyOrca, dessert specialists CakeyHand, pudding and vegetable bag makers Uplands Enterprises, and Taylor Fish, Fruit, & Vegetable Market.
The effort will get underway Sunday, Aug. 17 at 10 Hunts Lane in St. John’s, and run from noon to 1 p.m. for first responders, with everyone else taken care of afterward.
Due to a smaller kitchen, Joy doesn’t expect to do anything similar at his Paradise location, but says he’s now motivated toward a long-term commitment with organizations like Ronald McDonald House or The Gathering Place.
