Community support
Local restaurant helping out this week in goal of raising funds toward purchase of building for homeless shelter
A local restaurant is hoping to help raise funds this week to help a new homeless shelter in Pictou County get up in running.
A group of volunteers is looking to restart a homeless shelter they’re calling Viola’s Place Society in the building that once housed the LifeShelter on Marsh Street, but in order to open they need to purchase the building and complete some renovations.
Fred Haddad, who recently opened Maple Cedar, a restaurant on East River Road in New Glasgow, said the decision to help out was an easy one for him. This week until Sept. 23 he will be donating 15 per cent of his profit to Viola’s Place.
“The way I look at it your community is your second home,” he said. “Being responsible for your community is like being responsible for your home. You have to step up and help out. It’s as simple as that. You can’t separate yourself from your community.”
Helping to spread the message and draw people in, local celebrities including town councillors, MLAs and MP Sean Fraser are serving at different times during the week.
New Glasgow councillor Frank Proudfoot was there on Tuesday for a shift.
“A lot of people don’t know how many homeless people are out there of all ages,” Proudfoot said. “It’s an issue not just in our town, but everywhere.”
He said in many places homelessness isn’t immediately visible but there are people in need of help right under your nose.
Proudfoot said it’s great to see the community help, including a new business like Maple Cedar.
“It’s good to see businesses become involved in that, especially a new business,” he said. “The more people that come out to support, everyone wins.”
Karen MacPhee, president of the Viola’s Place board, said she was recently talking with one former homeless person who told her of people living under tarps and dismantling them before anyone could see them.
It’s for people like that she desperately wants to see Viola’s Place open soon.
Viola’s place is named in honour of Viola Desmond, a black woman who took a stand against social injustice by asserting her right to sit in a whites-only section of the Roseland Theatre.
Friday, members of Viola’s Place were able to show Desmond’s sister Wanda Robson the building they’re hoping to purchase for the shelter.
“It was wonderful,” MacPhee said. “She was thrilled that we’re doing this.”