The Eastminster Church will be getting its kitchen upgrades soon.

In order to provide opportunities for seniors to tackle loneliness and engage in the community, the federal government granted Eastminster United Church $24,467.

Bay of Quinte MP Neil Ellis announced the money which was allocated to the church under the New Horizons for Senior Program on Wednesday. The grant will be used to refurbish the kitchen and make it more functional and accessible for people especially seniors.

It will help seniors and volunteers run the Open Door Cafe project at the church, which offers the community a nice hot meal on Wednesdays.

Ellis said he appreciated the church's effort and the Open Door Cafe program. He said that it's great to see an organization run by seniors and volunteers serving the community from 25 years.

"This program (Open Door Cafe) not only help seniors that are serving meals today, but it also helps people that are having meals today," he said.

Belleville Mayor Mitch Panciuk said he is happy to see an old community organization like Open Door Cafe receiving the federal grant.

"This is like a real outing for them (seniors). Its a socialization, It makes them happier both physically and mentally," said Panciuk.

This project is not only about a nice hot meal every Wednesday it's their chance to come together and talk to each other, he said.

He noted that the city of Bellville gave $10,000 funding to the church last year and he is expecting this federal grant will go long way with the desired renovation goals of the Eastminster Church. 

Rev. David McMaster appreciated the government efforts to improve the life of seniors and inject funds in the programs that seniors run or are interested in.

"After 21 years, kitchens and things like that run out of the steam a little bit so they need upgrading," he said. "For new regulations (for health and safety) the upgrades were also important."

He said that because of the low funds' many churches are not participating in the Open Door Cafe project anymore.

He said years ago when the Open Door Cafe project was initiated about 10 other churches were also part of the project, but over time this project lost the support of those churches.

Talking about the plans to upgrade, McMaster said all the renovations will be done with the aim of keeping in mind the health and safety of volunteers.

"There will be some steel countertops put in and a new industrial dishwasher that will make this whole thing run more smoothly with clean up," he said.

The church also plans to replace cupboards which McMaster said, "have been there for 30 to 40 years."

McMaster said he hopes the upgrades will be done over the summer and they will continue to feed the community for many more years to come.