New soup kitchen packs in people
Demand demonstrated at new parish hall location
Shawn Giilck
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, October 16, 2014
INUVIK
It's a new season and a new location for the soup kitchen being run by the Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre, but the same old story of much demand remains firmly in place.
Judy Aviguana-Charlie, left, Sylvia Firth-Charlie and Frank Charlie all stop by the new soup kitchen at the parish hall of Our Lady of Victory Church on Oct. 9 to enjoy a hot lunch including a mixture of standard and traditional foods, including muktuk. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo
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The kitchen began operating at the parish hall of Our Lady of Victory Catholic church on Kingmingya Road in the downtown core Oct. 6.
So far, it's seeing about 25 to 35 people a day passing through during the lunchtime period from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.
"This is totally awesome," said Sylvia Firth-Charlie during an interview Oct. 9. "It's delicious too."
"I've been here every day this week," said Frank Charlie as he tucked into a heaping plate of food.
He would later head back for seconds, and possibly thirds.
"It's a good place to meet and socialize too," said Firth-Charlie.
Donna Firth has been hired as the head cook of the operation, which ran out of Ingamo Hall last year.
"She's doing a good job," said Brenda Jerome, the executive director of the Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre. "And she knows the people and they know her."
On Oct. 9, she was serving up an impressive selection of foods that included muktuk, fresh bannock, brisket soup and clam chowder, along with other standards such as egg-salad sandwiches.
The muktuk had been donated by Nellie Cournoyea of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Firth said.
The location was changed due to conflicting demands at the centre, said Jerome.
"Last year we held it in the main hall rental space, and when the space was rented out, the people had to go elsewhere to eat, so it was uncomfortable for all of us," she said. "So I approached the Catholic church and they agreed that we could use it."
The church operates its own soup kitchen on the weekends, Jerome said, and is free to use some of the supplies from the Ingamo Hall operation. In return, the friendship centre gets free use of the space for its lunchtime operation.
The Anglican Church of the Ascension also operates a soup kitchen on the weekends.
The soup kitchen is open to anyone who wants to use it, Jerome and Firth said, but it's aimed at those who truly need it, such as Inuvik's burgeoning homeless population. There's no means test, and people use the kitchen on the "honour basis."
The consistent numbers that are attending the kitchen provide a real glimpse into the problems of homelessness, and the financial crunch facing others who are struggling to keep the proverbial roof over their heads, both women said.
Even a few students have begun attending the kitchen, speaking to the downturn in the economy locally.
"Last year we served over 2,000 plates," Jerome said. "Considering the size of Inuvik, that's huge, and that was from October until March."
"We averaged 17 people a day last year," she continued.
"We serve anyone who doesn't have anything to eat. We try not to say, 'I'm sorry, you can't,' but we don't want people to use it constantly either."
"We do try to ensure with our meal that people do have the basics, and it's well-balanced."
Jerome said that's comprised of fruits and vegetables of some sort, along with meat and baked goods.
"We want to try to make it the main meal of the day for some people because that might be all they're going to get."
The kitchen is being funded by a $15,000 grant from the Small Community Homeless Fund, Jerome said.
Two-thirds of that money goes to pay for food, while the remainder helps subsidize Firth's salary.
