Numbers up

Long lines greeted those looking for a Thanksgiving Day meal.

Luckily there was enough food to go around for around 500 people of all ages who were waiting outside of the Dew Drop Inn or Shelter House Monday afternoon. Dew Drop director Terri Favreau said the number of people looking for a meal every day continues to grow.

“I don’t know why we have such an increase. I don’t know what’s happening just hard times all the way around,” Favreau said as people started lining up before noon for the 2:30 p.m. meal.

“A lot of people are on the street or are in small rooms (with no kitchen). That’s our clientele.”

No matter what, Favreau said the Dew Drop Inn is there to make sure anyone who needs a meal gets it.

“I’d hate to think of anyone going hungry and not having so I would rather have the big meal have them all come in and at least I know they’re not going hungry,” she said.

It was the same at Shelter House as a steady stream of people passed through the dining room to get their Thanksgiving Day meal.

Executive Director Patti Hajdu said the number of people needing a meal continues to grow. The flood has impacted people. Also a tight housing market means that people who may have been able to cook for themselves no longer have the space. But at the end of the day, it’s hard to know why more people are using the service.

“We don't really know why the numbers are rising. I think the economic climate is tightening as well and I think living on social assistance is a really challenging endeavour,” she said. “When you think that a single individual get somewhere in the range of $599 a month to feed and house themself and clothe themselves.”