Community organizations spread holiday cheer to those less fortunate
`A delicious meal in a tough time is what we can do'
Before the coronavirus pandemic changed life as we know it, the doors to the Old Brewery Mission's Webster pavilion were open to all Montrealers on Christmas Day and hundreds of people — residents, staff and volunteers — would stand “elbow to elbow, shoulder to shoulder,” recalled president and CEO James Hughes.
“It was beautiful,” he said. “And we are so far from that now.”
The highly contagious Omicron COVID -19 variant has cast a shadow on holiday plans; although we barely remember a time when we weren't masking and socially distancing, Quebec Premier François Legault has warned us to be even more cautious.
Still, “the trees are up and the music will be playing,” said Hughes — and “beautiful” holiday meals will be served to clients and delivered to the more than 330 clients who are now housed.
Friday night will be a lamb mechoui with almond rice with raisins, green salad and apple pie; a Christmas meal on Saturday will include turkey, cranberry sauce, miniature tourtières, Salardaise potatoes and a chocolate bûche.
“We are doing our best to keep it as festive as possible, but we must limit the number of people in the building and be very careful on hand washing and distancing,” Hughes said. At the Webster pavilion, that means 35 diners at a time, Plexiglas dividers between seats, in a space that accommodates more than 100. And no volunteers. “For sure it's a different beat, but a delicious meal in a tough time is what we can do.”
Community organizations that help those who are disadvantaged, in need or lonely have worked incredibly hard to bring holiday spirit and joy to Montrealers during yet another pandemic Christmas.
Before 2020, more than 1,000 meals were served at the annual N.D.G. Community Council Christmas dinner. Dozens of volunteers roasted five dozen or more turkeys and meals were served, over several hours, in a local church in an initiative run almost entirely by volunteers.
In 2020, the pandemic cancelled the dinner, like so much else. But the N.D.G. Community Council found a workaround: Meals were ordered from local restaurants and delivered by volunteers to more than 600 residents.
“Our idea was to support the local community,” explained N.D.G. Community Council director Halah Al-ubaidi. The initiative supported local businesses and, while delivering the meals, volunteers had the opportunity to check in on vulnerable and isolated residents.
“People loved it and said, `Let's do it again,' ” Al-ubaidi said.
Plans were underway. Meals were ordered once again, and volunteers planned to deliver them to up to 800 residents. Gift bags prepared by volunteers included chocolate, jewelry made by artisans, and information about council resources.
But as the pandemic news grew more dire this week, Al-ubaidi wondered: Should the event be called off?
Then on Wednesday, she said: “My staff is saying, `No, we can't stop.' ”
After a meeting Thursday with borough officials and local police, the decision was to go ahead. With volunteer help, said Ubaidi, up to 800 meals will be delivered to residents between this Friday and next.
With the efforts of staff and volunteers, donors and collaborators, the Sun Youth Organization was able to fill and distribute 5,000 enormous Christmas food baskets over a 15-day period ending Thursday. The area in the Parc Ave. building in which the baskets were being assembled buzzed with activity; ingredients included milk and eggs; peanut butter, soup base and coffee; produce; chicken and fish; shampoo and soap. And for every child 12 or under, there was a new toy.
“We try to go big on Christmas,” said Eric Kingsley, Sun Youth's director of emergency services.
The home deliveries of about 2,000 baskets was co-ordinated by 50 or so Montreal parking enforcement officers, longtime volunteers with the program. There were 500 curbside pickups — and 2,500 families came on foot or by public transit to pick up their baskets, five families every 15 minutes.
A virtual choir of Selwyn House School staff and students and members of the Contactivity Centre, a community centre for seniors, produced a delightful holiday video as part of a Contactivity intergenerational program funded by Canadian Heritage. Earlier this month, an intergenerational tea was held over Zoom.
The annual Christmas party at Chez Doris, a downtown shelter that provides support to vulnerable women, including those who are homeless, was cancelled in 2020; being able to hold it this year — on Dec. 14, before the Omicron variant really took hold — was “cathartic,” said executive director Marina Bolous-winton.
On Dec. 18, Chez Doris held a Christmas party for mothers and children at Carlos & Pepe's in Vaudreuil; over the past year, the organization has placed more than 100 women who had been homeless in apartments; 45 children were reunited with their mothers.
On Friday, the homeless clients of Chez Doris will be served a festive meal prepared by chefs Nicholas Bramos and Nima Pouyamajd of Succeda, an Italian restaurant in Rosemere.
A brunch on Saturday will be followed by bingo, and the women will receive goody bags including gloves, hats, bus tickets and gift cards. At dinner, meat pies from La boucherie Le Porc des Roy donated by the Upperkut marketing and advertising firm will be served with mashed potatoes, grilled vegetables, and log cakes.