Sudbury outreach group can't offer vital meals until late March

A group that provides services to the vulnerable people of Sudbury, Ont. can't serve its important Sunday meals until the third week of March.

Auntie Vie's Hub and Pantry normally prepares its meals at a certified kitchen run by the Lions Club, but the person who provides that access is out of town for the next month and a half. Kitchens that prepare food for the public must meet certain requirements from public health, local bylaws and fire services.

Violet Blount, better known as Auntie Vie, said it's heartbreaking to have to cancel the meals. But in practical terms, it's making it much harder to provide any food at her centre.

"The donations are very few and far between, so we're giving out a limited amount, like two cookies, to keep us going throughout the day," said Blount. "The funding is hard to get, to get these products to give."

Blount's outreach began on May 17, 2021, through the weekly buffet meals she offered on the streets of Sudbury. In November 2022, she opened Auntie Vie's Hub and Pantry, a physical space that offers people a place to get a snack and spend some time indoors.

Her hub serves "up to 130 cups of coffee a day" over the six hours it's open each weekday. It's a cozy space with just enough space for a few tables, small meeting rooms, a reception area and a clothing exchange.

Unlike some services that try to keep people moving to ensure there's always room for others to come in, Auntie Vie's encourages people to spend longer periods of time. It stages movie days, has magazines and books for reading and helps connect people with other services, including housing.

These services have continued despite the pausing of the weekly meals. Blount said she gets upwards of 100 visitors each day. Statistics from January showed 585 unique visitors, many of whom visited multiple times.

Blount said she's hoping someone with access to a certified kitchen will allow her group to prepare its meals there, which could see their return sooner than the late-March timeframe. She said she's looked for people to donate time in certified kitchens, but this hasn't been an option so far.

"Everybody charges a price, you know, to use a kitchen, a certified kitchen," said Blount. She said the donations her group gets aren't enough to cover those costs regularly.

This crisis has pushed Blount toward getting her own certified kitchen. The hub has a kitchen space but, based on initial estimates, it would need major upgrades before it could reach certification.

Again, it's an issue of cost. Among other upgrades, the kitchen would need a ventilation system and a bigger sink, considerable expenses for a group that runs solely on community support.

Blount said she hoped community partners would come forward with donations toward the purchase or installation of those items. That could help the Sunday meals to resume faster and ensure they're sustainable into the future.

Blount co-runs her centre full-time alongside her husband David. He said other cities across northern Ontario and beyond would benefit from drop-in centres that encourage people to spend time and access various services.