Last week, organizers of the Stone Soup Initiative held a community dinner, attracting more than 50 people to come out, share their stories and ideas, and enjoy a hot meal.
It is a small but needed step to addressing the issues of hunger and homelessness in Mission.
The dinner, which organizers say will become a monthly event, brings together people from across the community. For some, homelessness is just a concept, for others, it’s a stark reality.
Hopefully, by bringing people together, an open discussion on how to find real solutions can begin.
Homelessness and hunger is an issue that will receive a lot of media play in the coming month.
The holiday season always helps to raise awareness for those who need help to feed themselves and find shelter.
In Mission, the St. Joseph’s Food Bank opened a new facility; the Christmas Bureau is preparing to kick off its campaign; and funding has been announced for emergency shelters to protect people during extreme cold weather.
At this time of year, homelessness and needs are in the public spotlight, and community groups need to capitalize on the attention – not just for much needed funding and donations, but also for new ideas and solutions.