Giving thanks at Siloam
(Photo Credit: Marcel Cretain / Winnipeg Sun)
With Thanksgiving fast approaching, we have a lot to be thankful for at Siloam Mission.
In the past year we’ve expanded our hours of operation, started a bagged lunch program, improved the shelter intake for our guests, opened up a gym, hired new people in our employment-training program, expanded the health centre to offer even more services, and finally — after all these years — expanded into supportive housing.
We also celebrated 24 years of serving Winnipeg’s inner city.
That milestone is bittersweet, of course. Not only is there still a dire need for places like Siloam since we started on Main Street in 1987, the need is increasing every year.
That increase is evident in the amount of meals we serve.
For our big Thanksgiving feast this year, we’re expecting to serve 800 people in one sitting. Last year we served close to 700.
Our cook Linda, who is basically the resident mom in this place, has a policy that nobody leaves her kitchen hungry.
This Thanksgiving, her kitchen is pretty stocked thanks to the generous donations from many, many Manitobans.
But Linda is still in need of a few items.
Here’s the list of items that she and her kitchen team still need to make this year’s meal a success:
- Frozen mixed veggies (35 kg)
- 7up/Sprite
- Turkey Gravy Mix
- 2,000 individual creamers
- 2,000 sugar packets
- 2,000 salt packets
- 2,000 pepper packets
All donations can be dropped off at the administration doors of our main building on 300 Princess St., Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
If you are dropping off donations after-hours or on the weekend, please use our main entrance on 300 Princess St. where staff in the drop-in centre will be able to help you out.
Thank you for all you do for your inner-city neighbours. We couldn’t do it without you.
For you, we are thankful this Thanksgiving.
-Mike Duerksen
