Spreading the Christmas spirit, one warm plate at a time

St.Joseph's Hospitality Centre helped spread some Christmas cheer by serving hot meals to Londoners in need on Thursday afternoon.

For their annual Christmas luncheon they catered to about 200 people, serving mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey and sweets, as well as coffee and tea donated by local grocery stores, markets and farmers. 

"Ninety-five per cent of the food is all donated," said Larry Hamilton, a part-time assistant manager at the hospitality centre. "We had a farmer donate all the squash that's being served today." 

For Tracey Morton-Sader, the director of St. Joseph Hospitality Centre, hosting the luncheon is rewarding because of the positive energy brought by the volunteers and staff. 

"You feel like everyone here could be my family sitting at my table," she said. "We're having a great meal together, having a few laughs … It's just that kind of feeling that we must treat everybody as if they're our own family." 

Addressing food insecurity in the city

For more than a decade, the St. Joe's Cafe facility has served meals to residents in the city to help combat food insecurity. 

Last year, the Middlesex-London Health Unit reported that about one in six households, totalling about 84,000 people, are food insecure. 

Hamilton says he's noticed the clientele shift since moving to St. Joe's new location, with issues such as homelessness, drug addiction and mental health becoming more prevalent. He is hoping that St Joe's can provide food for those people all year.  

"When we were on Dundas Street before, it was more of a community feel and we didn't have a very high percentage of truly homeless people," he said. "We provide food security for people in [the] meals we prepare … We have lots of donations that come in for food, we have lots of volunteers and we just prepare for an increase in [the] number of clients everyday." 

Morton-Sader added that more people with housing don't always have money left for food after paying for rent and other necessities, so St. Joe's prepare bags of food to help them get through the month with food in their fridge.

This is the case for John, a resident in the city who's living on his pension and relying on St. Joe's for food everyday. 

"I like coming here because it helps to keep me alive … After my rent and my utilities are paid at the end of the month that leaves me $300 to cover the entire month," he said. 

"So this is a life saver. Not only for myself but a lot of people who are in the same boat. There are a lot of people here who are not homeless, but who are hanging on by our fingernails, and this is the place where the door is open and [you] can come and get something to eat." 

Couldn't do it without the volunteers 

With only six available staff members at the cafe, it would be impossible to help vulnerable people on a daily basis without the contribution of volunteers. 

Hamilton says they have hundreds of volunteers that come in to help, meaning about 10 to 12 volunteers show up during breakfast and afternoon hours.  

"All the volunteers get more out of this than they give," said Hamilton. "They just love being here, they love the clientele, they love serving people, they love being able to give back."

Jennifer McBride has been a volunteer at the cafe for over 10 years, serving food behind the kitchen counter with other volunteers. She discovered St Joe's through her job and has been there ever since.  

"The people that come here are very vulnerable in society and very much at need," said McBride. "I think just being able to come help them is a privilege and an honour to help them." 

Henry Aukema is a retired farmer who served warm coffee, water and tea to his clients. He said happy to help people that are disadvantaged. 

"This is a very worthwhile project that's run by the Sisters of St. Joseph and they need help, and I am happy to help. I am retired and I am not [really] busy, so that's why I come," said Aukema.  

McBride encourages people to volunteer locally in areas where helping hands are needed and to give away any essential items that could help, especially during the holiday season. 

"I know it's a time where a lot of people struggle to get by with inflation and the cost of food. But, any little bit helps even used items that you might have [like] hats, mitts and coats," she said.