File photo (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

SUNDAY DINNER

Kamloops United Church’s PIT Stop serving more meals as day spaces close around the city

May 30, 2024 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — For more than 25 years, the Kamloops United Church has been operating PIT Stop, serving a hot meal to those in need every Sunday.

The meal is crafted by the hands of volunteers using food donated to the program from community organizations and individuals. PIT Stop usually serves between 150 and 250 people every Sunday, but with day spaces at the Mustard Seed and The Loop closing around the city, they’re starting to see more people in need of their help.

“We expect more people actually, and trust me every Sunday more faces, new faces are coming in — but that’s okay. All we want to do is to just give them that hope, that trust, the faith that, ‘Okay, fine. ‘We will have your back. We can take care of you on this,” said PIT Stop coordinator Valentine Uwakwe.

Along with the meal, PIT Stop provides warm clothes and hygiene products to anybody in need.

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The biggest challenges facing the organization are volunteers, food donations and most of all, funding as it looks to ensure it can continue to provide a quality warm meal once a week.

“We try to still maintain the standard of food, the standard of support we are giving them,” said Uwakwe. “Sometimes we might run out of food but we are trying to give them the best. Funding is the first thing. We need more funds from community, we need more donations from people. It could be food items, it could be no perishable food items, and it could be financial as well.”

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