At The Salvation Army Vancouver Harbour Light, a traditional Thanksgiving dinner is provided a week after the holiday so guests, who try to cope without sufficient food, can enjoy more than one special meal. Other agencies in the local community provide a meal on Thanksgiving Day, and The Salvation Army purposely delays their Thanksgiving feast so the hungry can enjoy two special meals.
In 2008, the Harbour Light served 1.200 meals in four hours. In 2009, 1,362 meals were served. This isn’t surprising considering the current economic environment. The recession has also caused the centre to see an increase in their daily food line. From this time last year, anywhere from 100 to 150 more people are lining up to receive food.
Every year the Thanksgiving dinner is generously sponsored by Home Depot, Terminal Avenue. Their team of volunteers, always in the iconic orange Home Depot aprons, cheerfully help serve the meal. Without the financial and volunteer support of Home Depot, the Army could not feed so many people such a wonderful meal.
The Thanksgiving meal also kicks off the holiday season at Harbour Light, and acts as a test run for serving more than 2,000 people on Christmas Day.
About Harbour Light
The Salvation Army Vancouver Harbour Light is located in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. The centre’s primary objective is to assist men and women over the age of 19 who are without shelter, incarcerated, or whose lives are dysfunctional because of addiction to chemical substances.
Harbour Light provides tools that enable clients to regain their health, obtain shelter, participate in a substance abuse recovery programs, access affordable housing, move from unemployed to employed, and reintegrate into society.
Harbour Light Feeding Ministry
The feeding ministry provides nutritious free meals for men, women, and children in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside in a caring manner that dignifies and respects the individual.
An average of 570 meals are provided on a daily basis to people in need in the area. The feeding ministry acts as a gateway to access other Harbour Light services. Most of the recipients are men, including the unemployed, the addicted, senior citizens, the mentally ill, and the poor.
Clients are offered meals on site, bread and vegetables to take home, and staff and clients encourage them to enter into treatment and Harbour Light programs. Meals provided in the food line are made with available inventory. Studies have been conducted to ensure food line guests are provided with the most nutritious meals possible with the donated food available at the time.
Sponsored meals provide our food line guests with something special like a roast chicken dinner with fresh vegetables, fruit, juice and cake. Over the past few years, the number of meals sponsored has increased significantly but more sponsors are still needed to help the food line provide a better variety of meals.
The Salvation Army is always looking to expand and grow our partnership with companies both large and small, restaurants and individuals. Please contact us at 604-646-6800 for more information on how you or your company can get involved.
