P.E.I. church continues to serve free meals a year after Fiona

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Editor’s observe: That is a part of an ongoing sequence of tales main as much as the one-year anniversary of post-tropical storm Fiona, Sept. 23-24.

MONTAGUE, P.E.I. – When post-tropical storm Fiona left many individuals with out energy and heat cooked meals, a church in Montague stepped in. 

Hillcrest United Church served as a warming centre for a lot of locally whereas additionally giving out free meals to individuals.  

Anne White, the organist and choir director on the church says wanting again, it feels nice being part of those that may assist individuals in want. White and a few different church members volunteered to supervise the meal sharing. 

“It felt nice to have the ability to give individuals a hand who did not have any energy. And it simply made you are feeling such as you have been reaching out and doing somewhat for individuals locally within the outlying space. To have the ability to assist them once they weren’t in a position to, like I say, cook dinner a sizzling meal themselves.” 

One other member of the church had introduced up the concept of the meal sharing. So, members of the church donated meals that that they had, and it was ready and given out to individuals, she mentioned.

“A gaggle of individuals made some soup and had some sandwiches and simply supplied it freed from cost to anyone that did not have energy or wished a free lunch,” mentioned White. 

“It simply felt nice that we may present individuals with a sizzling soup and a few sandwiches and provides them somewhat break. And I do know I bear in mind one household got here in that we did not know the individuals, we gave them further sandwiches they usually actually appreciated having the additional meals to take dwelling with them.” 

White mentioned it was a tough time for everybody because the influence of the storm was nothing like that they had anticipated, and she or he was glad the church may assist out. 

“Effectively, it was fairly a time right here on P.E.I., lots of people misplaced meals of their fridge of their freezer. In the event that they did not have a generator the meals may go dangerous. And in order that was powerful for quite a few individuals. And naturally, it affected lots of people’s lives. However fortuitously, on the church, we received the facility again inside just a few days.” 

The meal sharing has since become a long-term program, serving meals a minimum of as soon as a month. 

Sandra MacDonald, who oversaw this system through the post-tropical storm mentioned the choice to maintain it working got here from a ladies’s group assembly on the church. 

“We began speaking about that meal, and the way there may be loneliness locally. And, you understand, after the hurricane, there have been, you understand, individuals have been remoted and all the pieces. And so, we largely talked about loneliness. Now, there are additionally individuals who cannot afford meals. However we thought, you understand, I feel we may handle to placed on one lunch a month.” 

This system sees greater than 50 individuals and is open to anybody. After consuming, individuals can grasp round to play video games, she mentioned. 

“There’s assist there. And there is, you understand, they really feel that different individuals care about them.” 

Vivian Ulinwa is a reporter with SaltWire in Prince Edward Island. She will be reached by electronic mail at [email protected].