CSMC Grant Supports Outreach in Pembroke

by Rev Joanne O’Connor (pictured right)

In 2023, my friend and I started collecting hygiene products that were packaged for individuals at The Grind, a faith-based outreach organization and community kitchen in Pembroke. We also collected scarves, mitts, hats, and socks for the cold winter.

I had been following media reports on homelessness and the assistance provided by The Grind.

The biggest challenge for The Grind is funds. The Coldest Night of the Year is their biggest fundraiser on February 8. I will be taking part.

There has been a lot of debate around sponsoring the Warming Centre. The City of Pembroke ultimately approved to support it in their 2025 budget. It’s been a roller coaster for The Grind not knowing where the clients would sleep and keep warm in the winter months. Also, the building was promised to The Grind. Now the city doesn’t want to sell it to them.

The biggest obstacle is the residents near The Grind. They have issues with needles left in their driveways and on the street in front of their homes. They are afraid for the safety of their home and family, which is totally understandable.

Thank you to CSMC for choosing The Grind’s breakfast program to receive a $1,000 grant. It is a valuable service. I chose the breakfast program which provides a second meal each day. The Warming Centre, available over the winter months, provides clients with two meals a day. But when it is closed, only one meal is provided. The breakfast usually consists of toast with peanut butter and honey; muffins, buns, and lots of coffee.

I have been volunteering on Wednesdays from 9:15-1:15. There are approximately 15-20 clients for breakfast who arrive between 8 and 10 am and leave after lunch at 2 pm.

When I first applied for this grant to help people by providing breakfast to them, I felt it was just a service. Now it is more than that. It’s an honor to serve them. It makes me more thankful for what I have.

Besides the breakfast program, I have been helping in the kitchen getting desserts on trays for easy access for lunch, cleaning tables, and filling cups with coffee. There are usually 40 clients for lunch served from Tuesday to Friday. I’m so thankful they have this nourishment as I can’t imagine how hungry they get. There are loaves of bread that anyone can take. Clients can access the washroom and take a shower there.

Lunch, which is a full meal, is prepared by volunteers. Every day there is a different menu. I have met new people who have their own stories of why they volunteer. Some have experienced being addicted and/or unhoused and now want to help others. I am now recognizing our clients, some by first name. They are so polite. I listen to their conversations about living outside, how they bond, and how thankful they are for the food. Besides needing emergency shelter and nourishment, clients often face serious mental and physical health issues compounded by addictions.