With provincial warnings to avoid public places with large crowds, organizations like Riverside Mission that rely on volunteers and donations are finding themselves in a difficult position in their daily operations.
The mission is continuing operations with a number of adjustments, as they were granted an exception from the province’s closure order to the food industry due to status as a not-for-profit community kitchen.
Since that order on Mar. 23, Riverside Mission has suspended the usual lunch service and is providing supper as a take-out meal only.
To ensure the safety of guests and staff alike, guests are now asked to wait outside, before entering one at a time to receive a meal in a takeout container, a drink, and a pamphlet on how to protect themselves from COVID-19.
“We've done all of that with social distancing in mind,” said Joe Miller, executive director from Souls Harbour Rescue Mission. “Things are a little slower this way, but we're still serving the public.”
The kitchen has also ceased all volunteer activity, save for a small number of dedicated people who are taking precautions at home to make them eligible to work at the kitchen, and is no longer taking donations of leftover food or clothing items for the time being.
They have also limited the capacity of their men’s emergency shelter, from 10 individuals to four individuals to properly practice social distancing.
“Everything was done keeping in mind social distancing and really trying to ensure the safety of everybody involved,” said Miller. “We wanted to focus on what's safe for the guests, what's safe for the staff, what's safe for the volunteers.”
The pandemic measures have caused a challenge for the mission, said Miller, but staff are working extra hard to keep the doors open and provide services for those in the community in need of them.
“I just want people to know that Riverside Mission's doors are still open,” said Miller. “We serve society's most vulnerable people. A lot of them have health conditions or immune deficiencies, and we want to take care of them as best we could.”
Riverside Mission is still serving an average of 55 people each evening during their supper service and is also giving out food items to help fill the gap that the missing lunch service has left.
The Salvation Army is also handing out bagged lunches during the week from 11 a.m. to noon, and St. Aiden’s Anglican Church is providing bagged lunches on Saturdays and Sundays at 11:45 a.m.
Donations to the Mission are still being accepted and greatly appreciated, said Miller, who listed toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and protective gloves to be some of the needed items right now.
Food items like Kraft Dinner, milk, and cases of bottled water would also be useful at this time.
Any large donations will be evaluated on an individual basis, by contacting shelter director Rachel Mullens at rmullens@shrmsk.com.
Monetary donations would be the most useful, however, as it cuts down the risk of public contact and allows the shelter to purchase exactly what they need at this time. Cash donations can be made online, by noting it is for Riverside Mission in the comment section.
“We couldn't do what we do without the support of the community, and the community has supported us financially, with donations, and with their time as volunteers,” said Miller. “Whatever we needed, people have always responded so well, and I want to thank them for that.”
