Union Gospel Mission serves Thanksgiving dinner to thousands in Metro Van
Posted October 10, 2023 6:21 am.
Last Updated October 10, 2023 6:23 am.
The Union Gospel Mission fed more than 2,200 people in Metro Vancouver Monday during its annual Thanksgiving lunch.
This was the 34th time UGM served up the meal to members of the Downtown Eastside community. To feed everyone, over 100 volunteers dished out approximately 2,500 pounds of turkey, 800 pounds of mashed potatoes and 600 pies.
Jeremy Monn-Djasngar, a UGM volunteer, was one of the people who donated their time to make the event happen. He says volunteering at UGM has been a humbling experience.
“It doesn’t make what part you’re on the socio-economic ladder, we need each other,” he said.
UGM is a shelter and resource centre for people in Vancouver experiencing homelessness. It regularly serves breakfast, lunch or dinner at its Vancouver and New Westminster locations. On Monday, Thanksgiving meals were served at its main Hastings Street location, as well as its women and families centre on Cordova Street and its New Westminster resource centre on Clarkson Street.
Terri Lynnpatt Tepa came to enjoy a meal on Monday, and says she does every holiday.
” I do every Christmas, everything Thanksgiving and every chance I get,” Tepa said.
Harun Shah says he also enjoyed a meal on Monday and has been staying in the DTES shelter since the beginning of October.
He says he was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere of the shelter.
“I was hesitant to go to any of the shelters at first,” he said. “But once I walked in and saw the elements and I came inside, it felt secure for me.”
He says he lost his house after a bad separation. Then, after an unpleasant experience with a landlord, he became homeless.
“I can afford it. I’m on disability pension. $1,500 a month doesn’t cut it. What am I supposed to do? Either I have a roof over my head or food. I can only afford so much.”
Shah says if it weren’t for UGM he would be sleeping on the streets, and he is thankful for their services and kindness.
“I think it shows the pride and how the volunteers do their work – think everyone should be coming here and learning from this”
Monn-Djasngar says it’s rewarding to play a part in the lives of everyone who passes through the shelter for a meal.
“People want to been seen, they want to be heard and feel valued, so this is where you see that. You see people loved and valued,” he said. “It’s cool to be part of people’s journey even if you’re just serving them food.”
Nicole Mucci, spokesperson for UGM, says planning this event has been in the works since August.
According to the Homelessness Services Association of B.C., more than 4,800 people are experiencing homelessnss in the Greater Vancouver area, which is a 32 per cent increase from 2020.
“We know more people in the region are experiencing homelessness,” Mucci said. “So having a space today where people can come in and feel like they are part of a community, is more important than ever.”
