Working towards helping those in need, Souls Harbour Rescue Mission (SHRMSK) non-profit organization has two initiatives on the go throughout the summer. In July, the mission is having a food drive to collect regular items for their kitchen, to keep basics in stock.
During the months of July, August, and September you can sponsor a meal for the organization, which will feed approximately 250 people.
For the food drive, they ask that you place one item in a box every day for the month of July, and then donate it to the Riverside Mission here in Moose Jaw. Each day has a specific type of food item to be placed in your box, the first three items asked for are tomato soup, pasta, and baked beans. A calendar outlines which type of food to include for each day of July.
Just like the Food Bank, the SHRMSK has had some issues with providing enough food for its clientele. These initiatives are to help lessen the stress that the food shortage is causing. The Mission understands that the struggle with inflation may make it difficult to provide aid, but any help they can get is appreciated. The boxes are asked to be handed in between August 1-5.
For the sponsored meals, all you will need to do is fill out a form that outlines what you will be sponsoring. In Moose Jaw, a sponsored meal will cost $300, with two options to choose from:
• a Trio Salad Plate of turkey salad, potato salad, green salad, bun, and dessert.
• a BBQ Dinner, which includes a BBQ burger, oven-roasted potatoes, vegetables, and a dessert.
The Mission usually cooks around 250 hot meals. They hope to have sponsors for four out of five days for three months.
These are not the only initiatives that the SHRMSK participate in; they also have many other services that are available to those who need help. In Moose Jaw, they have additional food services, a men’s emergency centre, and affordable housing units.
The additional food service is the Community Holiday Meal held at Easter, Christmas and Thanksgiving, where a complete holiday dinner including traditional trimmings is served up for about five hundred people.
The Men’s Emergency Centre offers overnight shelter for men in need, having ten emergency spaces, toiletries, a place to shower, a spot to wash their clothes, and a continental breakfast in the morning. All guests are screened for sobriety and safety prior to accessing the shelter.
The Affordable Housing Units offer seven suites that are drug, alcohol, smoke, and pet free. In addition to housing, they also offer programming for the tenants that includes addiction-related support and various life skills. They have two bachelor suites for $600 a month and five one-bedroom suites for $700 a month.
The SHRMSK was originally two separate charities, the Souls Harbour Mission House which dates back to 1990, and the Regina Rescue Mission which started in 1999. The two merged in 2007, changing their name to Souls Harbour Rescue Mission. They are a Christian charity that hopes to rescue people from poverty and addiction by offering Gospel messages through emergency help such as food, clothing, shelter, and life-changing recovery integrity.
"When we merged with Riverside Mission, the idea was to build new facilities and grow the services in Moose Jaw. That is what we have been doing. I guess my biggest thing is sometimes, I think, people think there is a competition. It is a…my city - their city kind of thing...” said Joe Miller, media representative of SHRMSK
“We are the same organization in both cities; there is no difference, and it does not matter where we are. Our goal is to serve both communities or whatever community we are in," Miller added.
To learn more about Souls Harbour Rescue Mission you can visit their website at https://www.shrmsk.com/.
