Roseanne and Joel McNarland, of The Seventh Day Adventist Church, are among the many volunteers from several local churches to serve Saturday meals to those experiencing homelessness.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade
What began as a couple of volunteers providing a Saturday afternoon meal to those experiencing homelessness, has now expanded with several churches involved.
Shirley Greenfield, who attends St. Barnabas Church, says it was through volunteering at a soup kitchen and talking to those who came for meals that she realized there was a need for something on a Saturday.
“I have a heart for people,” said Greenfield, who explains that she grew up in a home that did not have much so she understand when people have needs.
Initially it was just a handful of volunteers serving between 45 and 70 people from the kitchen at St. Barnabas, said Greenfield. After nearly two years there was a need to get others to share the load.
“It was not difficult at all to get other churches involved,” said Greenfield.
The Seventh Day Adventists, Holy Family Parish and Heights Baptist Church are now on board along with St. Barnabas, which provides the facility to prepare the food and serve the meals. Each church has a team of volunteers.
Greenfield says the churches she approached had been looking for an opportunity to serve the community. Some did not have facilities or a location in an area that would be easily accessible for those in need. St. Barnabas Church is ideally situated.
Each group now takes a turn every fourth Saturday to prepare a meal and serve it, she said.
It is not only about providing a meal though. Greenfield says for many experiencing homelessness there is also loneliness and they enjoy the personal connection – somebody to talk to.
COVID-19 social distancing has provided a few challenges but many of the groups are still managing to provide a hot meal. Greenfield says it is all packaged up in a brown bag and a reduced number of servers hand those out.
Feedback from clients they serve is that social distancing is very lonely and the lack of businesses being open is presenting some challenges in terms of finding washrooms to use.
