Community mourns food bank volunteer killed on Wednesday

Friends call for more resources for survivors of domestic violence

The day after Jennyfer Lachappelle was found dead in her Toronto Community Housing apartment in Pelham Park, near Davenport Rd. and Symington Ave., members of the community came to the nearby food bank and drop-in space where she’d volunteered for the past year.

“She was taken from us. She was killed,” said Winsome Miller, manager of community services at the Stop Community Food Centre. “This is a different kind of grief.”

Police have charged Andrew Gerber, 38, with second-degree murder. Miller said Gerber and Lachappelle were in a relationship and may have been engaged.

Lachappelle, 42, started using services at the Stop on and off and was encouraged to become a volunteer. “It was her energy, she was always so involved,” Miller said.

Lachappelle started volunteering in July. “Rain or shine, sick or well she was always here ... she was not well sometimes, but she just wanted to keep giving,” Miller said. “She was always smiling and asking other members of our community if they needed help, if there was anything she could do.”

Miller said it is important for their community to make sure Lachappelle is remembered.

“Jennyfer didn’t just fade away. She is not just a few sentences in yesterday’s paper. She was living, walking, she had friends,” Miller said. “She was someone who had purpose.” On Thursday, as friends shared memories of Jennyfer, they also discussed ways to take action, Miller said.

Measures need to put in place to ensure there are resources for domestic violence victims, especially ones who are poor and marginalized, Miller said.

“Domestic violence doesn’t discriminate, but in terms of women living in poverty, there is a whole different set of (barriers) to accessing services that might be able to help them,” Miller said, adding that everyone deserves to live their lives with dignity. “We can’t just talk. There needs to be action on all levels.”

Lachappelle is Toronto’s 13th homicide victim of 2019 and the second victim of an alleged domestic homicide.

In 2018, Toronto broke its record for homicides in a single year, with 96 in total.

“She was always smiling and asking other members of our community if they needed help” WINSOME MILLER MANAGER OF COMMUNITY SERVICES, THE STOP COMMUNITY FOOD CENTRE