With the warm spring weather upon us we gently close the doors of the Community Kitchen for another season. This past Sunday parishioners from Our Lady of Victory along with the many regular guests of the Kitchen gathered together for a final potluck meal before saying goodbye for the summer.

Each winter, from mid-October until the end of May the Kitchen opens its doors to the homeless, to those who are struggling financially and to anyone who would like to to have a bit of lunch in the company of friends and neighbors.

In order to operate, the Community Kitchen is grateful for the support of the Western Regional Council of the St. Vincent de Paul which provides many of our staples in the annual sea-can which arrives each fall. We also could not operate were it not for the many volunteers who cook, clean, serve and coordinate the whole effort. Our volunteers are members of our parish and wider community who have in their hearts a care for the vulnerable and a desire to offer their support to those in need.

Each Saturday and Sunday of the winter the doors open for a simple but nutritious lunch of soup and sandwiches. Occasionally we will celebrate with a feast or a potluck and the simple fare is elevated to the festive as appetites are satisfied with turkey, caribou, char and other delicious food from the land.

It is a struggle when finances do not cover your daily needs or the lack of a home means hanging out on the street in the bitter cold of winter. The Community Kitchen offers a safe place and a hospitable atmosphere in which to get warm, well fed and cared for.

Thank you to all our volunteers who have made this program successful over the past years. We couldn’t do it without you. Enjoy a restful summer and we’ll see you again next October when we will do it all again.