Those facing challenges in making ends meet in Wallaceburg now have a place to go seven days a week for some food and fellowship.
ROCK (Reach Out Chatham-Kent) Missions, the United Way of Chatham-Kent and the Ska:Na Family Learning Center have partnered to create the St. James Drop-In Centre.
Renee Geniole, the operations co-ordinator, said the drop-in spot originally opened in the St. James Anglican Church building at the start of the year as a warming centre, thanks to some funding that was available from the Municipality of Chatham-Kent .
“There was nowhere in Wallaceburg for anyone on those -30 C nights,” she said. “This was the one place that we found that would let us come in.”
Geniole said the facility was open a few days a week but, thanks to some funding from the United Way and successful grant applications, it became a drop-in center that began operating seven days a week from 2 pm to 6 pm at the start of May.
An official opening event was held on May 31.
She said people can come to the center for some food or to access hard-reduction services or receive referrals to social agencies.
There are few reasons why the drop-in center is “super important” to the community, Geniole said.
She cited the growing number of people who are homeless or “precariously housed,” along with an increasing amount of residents facing food insecurity.
“So for them to know they can come here every day of the week and at least get a meal and have a community to come and be with and get those services, it’s so important,” Geniole said.
Laura Baker, 56, moved to Wallaceburg to live with her mother, saying the cost living had become too high for her survive alone on social assistance.
“This place is a blessing,” she said, adding the volunteers are “so nice and kind and they help me out.”
Baker likes to come by the center for both the food and fellowship.
“I think it’s awesome because people need hope and support, and to let them know that you’re not alone,” she said.
As ROCK volunteers continue to see the struggles in Chatham and Wallaceburg, the organization is also reaching out in Blenheim and Ridgetown to provide help to those in need, Geniole said.
“It is kind of a blind problem still,” she said. “People don’t recognize or see it until you start meeting the people we serve and start talking to them and getting to know them.”