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By Dylana Kneeshaw

THANKSGIVING DINNERS

PIT Stop and Mustard Seed to host Thanksgiving meals for community members, shelter residents

Oct 11, 2024 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — Thanksgiving is usually a time when friends and family get together and enjoy turkey dinner, but there are many in the community who might not have a big spread to look forward to.

That’s why several community organizations in the city have made a tradition of serving up a Thanksgiving meal to people experiencing homelessness, poverty or mental health and addiction issues. There are a few options over the long weekend in Kamloops for people who might otherwise go without.

“The PIT Stop is doing a meal, Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship society is doing a meal, open to the whole public, so it seems like there’s a lot going on this weekend, which is great,” says Katie Hutchins, the Mustard Seed’s Community and Volunteer Engagement Manager.

The Mustard Seed recently shifted away from its public day space operations and as part of that, this year the organization has put energy into distributing Thanksgiving meal hampers to local families. The annual sitdown meal on Monday (Oct. 14) will be for those staying at a shelter or using Mustard Seed programs.

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“That will be for people staying in Harbour House, which is our women’s shelter — there are 12 women there — our recovery program, [with] 17 men in that program, and then our West End shelter, and there are 22 people there,” adds Hutchins.

Elsewhere, the PIT Stop’s dinner often feeds hundreds of people, but with the Kamloops United Church building in a state of repair after it was damaged by fire, PIT Stop will move its meal to the Kia Lounge at Sandman Centre arena.

“After the fire, it hasn’t really been easy, but the fact that we show up every Sunday is a show that we care for them and there is need in the community so we just need to be there to show up,” notes PIT Stop coordinator Valentine Uwakwe, who says the program’s transition period has been propped up by community donations, volunteers and food from Cob’s Bread and the Kamloops Food Bank.

Those who come out for supper could be without a home, living in poverty, or have mental health or addiction issues, but Uwakwe reiterates that PIT Stop is meant to address food insecurity from all walks of life.

“It’s for everyone so you can come. I know some people might be anxious to be in the midst of people and that’s okay. You can have it as take out and go,” explains Uwakwe. “If you don’t want to have a sit down with the rest of the people, that’s okay because you can take it and go, because you’re welcome to come and have this meal with us.”

PIT Stop’s thanksgiving meal will be Sunday at 3:00 p.m. from the Kia Lounge at Sandman Centre.