One of the questions being asked in the St. Andrew’s family right now is will the Out of the  Cold teams be offering food support to those in the downtown in the coming months.  Sylvia Carscadden has been active on that front and recently sent a note to address what’s going on in that regard.

Several of the Out of the Cold teams have been meeting with the Downtown Food Coalition to try to assess what opportunities there are for Out of the Cold lend a hand.

It seems there is enough hot food being offered through the Elgin Street Mission and The Blue Door Café.  The food is being transported to areas where the clients are and more space has been provided at the YMCA for people to eat their food.

While these plans may not be ideal, we have been discouraged from bringing hot food since it seems if there is a surplus there is no adequate storage which results in food being thrown out. We don’t want that.

What is needed is food at the warming centres so people can eat something before they go to bed.  Therefore, Out of the Cold teams are being invited to supply sandwiches to the Shelter and the warming centre at the YMCA. The proposal is that teams will operate on a weekly roster just as the dinners worked.  The details are still being discussed.

What Sylvia is trying to coordinate is the making and delivering of sandwiches on Monday and Thursday of the weeks that St. Andrew’s would normally be preparing and serving a hot meal on the second floor.  The sandwiches will be made in the St. Andrew’s kitchen under protocols approved by Public Health Sudbury and Districts.  People will be required to wear protection and properly distance from one another.  Three people will be allowed in each kitchen area.

Sylvia emphasizes that there is no pressure for people.  She says each of us needs to assess their own risk tolerance.

If you are interested in putting your name on the volunteer list, please contact Sylvia directly and she will let you know what the dates and times of preparation are.  If you don’t have Sylvia’s contact information, please call or email the church office Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.