VIMHS
VIMHS
Nanaimo’s 7-10 Club Society still searching for a home, providing meals to go
Nanaimo’s 7-10 Club Society still searching for a home, providing meals to go
Nanaimo’s 7-10 Club Society still searching for a home, providing meals to go
Tuesday 16th August 2022
Discover how the Nanaimo 7-10 Club Society continues to provide meals despite losing their building, showcasing resilience and community dedication.
20 minutes
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Get the buttons here!Nanaimo 7-10 Club: Feeding the Hungry Without a Home
Our downtown is not a big area, so when you concentrate where people can go, people will go there, whereas if you spread things out, people will access other areas as well.
What happens when a long-standing community service loses its home? For the Nanaimo 7-10 Club Society, it means adapting and persevering. Since 1985, this dedicated group has been providing meals to those in need. But since last August, they’ve faced a significant challenge: their building on Prideaux Street was demolished to make way for supportive housing, leaving them without a permanent base.
In this episode of People First Radio, Gord Fuller, the society’s board chair, shares the journey of how the club has switched to a mobile meal service and continues to serve the community despite these hurdles. The society has shifted to a bag lunch format, distributing meals on the go. Fuller explains that they’ve been managing this for years at different locations, but finding a new home remains a critical need.
The application for a gaming grant looms, and without a stable location, sustaining their operations long-term is at risk. Fuller points out a troubling reality: many landlords and real estate agents are hesitant to lease to organizations serving the homeless population. The conversation also touches on the concentration of services in one area of downtown Nanaimo. Fuller argues for spreading out services across the community, which would make them more accessible to those in need.
He envisions a scenario where mobile services and strategically placed supportive housing can better meet community needs. The episode wraps up with a discussion on food banks in Nanaimo. Fuller shares insights from his time with Food Link Nanaimo, highlighting how they expanded from one to multiple food banks across the city to better address community needs. The Nanaimo 7-10 Club Society’s unwavering commitment to feeding the hungry is nothing short of inspiring.
Despite the challenges of finding a new home and navigating community service logistics, their dedication shines through. Tune in to hear more about their innovative approaches and ongoing efforts to support those in need.