Winnipeg shelter serves up hot Christmas meal on bitterly cold day

After two years of physically distanced and takeout meals, Winnipeg's Siloam Mission hosted a full house of people for a far more festive annual Christmas lunch on Friday.

Luke Thiessen, the charitable organization's communications manager, said roughly 100 people experiencing poverty and homelessness were served a hot meal — a welcome break from the bitterly cold weather.

"Because of the shortage of turkeys, this year we're doing meatballs," he said. "So that's new for us this year, but otherwise it's mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, pie — all the good stuff."

The lunch was particularly celebratory this year, with a choir of members from some of Manitoba's Hutterite colonies singing Christmas carols for visitors — something that hasn't happened since before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It adds to the festive atmosphere, and people have just a little more of a family feel and a nice meal environment for Christmas," said Thiessen.

The Christmas spirit won't end with a piece of pie on Friday, said Siloam Mission CEO Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud.

Everyone staying in the shelter and supportive and transitional housing will receive a backpack full of gifts and essential items on Christmas morning, thanks to donations, she said.

"We hope that everyone knows they're loved and they're important this Christmas," she said in an interview conducted in French.

Thiessen says it's been an especially busy time for Siloam Mission, and it's been difficult to keep up with the need.

"With the cold weather and with the price of food and things like that, it's a tough time for shelters and for us at Siloam," he said.

"So if anybody has anything to spare — winter clothing, jackets, boots and food donations — it's really [a] critical time for us right now."