Busby Centre braces for higher demand with Salvation Army's meal program ending
The Salvation Army's Barrie Bayside Mission is ending its community meal program as of April 1. Simcoe County will redistribute the program's $140,000 funding to other local food security agencies.
"This is going to be a really big impact for our community," said Sara Peddle, executive director of the Busby Centre.
Staff with the Salvation Army said it saw a spark in demand for the decade-long service during the pandemic but had seen those numbers begin to decline and, in recent months, felt it was the right time to re-evaluate how to best serve the community.
"How best we can as a community, as a partner agency, work with other agency partners and the county to distribute that responsibility and make sure people had access to food and meals wherever they found themselves in the community," said Glenn van Gulik of the Salvation Army.
The services that received some of that redistributed money that provided free daily lunches and dinners to those in need say it could be more impactful after being divided.
"Unfortunately, it's really covering the inflation on food costs for our programs anyway and the increased demand, so we will still need support from the community," said Peddle.
Daily food for Salvation Army residents and other meal programs will stay the same.
But the Busby Centre is bracing for even higher demand from vulnerable, hungry people.
"We're anticipating that we will see an increase to our outreach van and to our centre looking for food," said Peddle.
One client, who has been reliant on the service, echoed Peddle's sentiment.
"They have to go to the Busby van. So, the Busby is going to be overrun with people because this way, it splits them up, but now, they have to go to one source. It's not going to be easy," said the man who wished to remain anonymous after picking up his food at the Salvation Army in the final days of the program.
While clients say the sudden change saddens them, those at the Busby Centre say they are grateful for the Salvation Army's decade-long efforts, but this leaves a big gap to fill.
"I'd be hard-pressed to think this problem is going away anytime soon. I think it's going to perpetuate additional problems because if people are having to purchase food, if community programs are not available, then they may not be able to pay their rent," explained Peddle.
Stakeholders like Peddle say they will now be advocating different levels of government for additional funding.
"Because this is a crisis. We're already in a housing crisis, and now we're looking at a food security crisis within our communities if we don't have funding to make sure that programs like the Salvation Army are funded," added Peddle.
The Busby Centre, the Barrie Food Bank, and other local faith and community agencies met this week to discuss this decision's short- and long-term impacts.
In the meantime, the Busby Centre is preparing increasing bagged lunches and emergency grocery bags for this weekend when the change begins.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.