Regulations stir concerns about the fate of weekend soup kitchen
The Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition has raised concerns about the future of Whitehorse’s weekend soup kitchen.
The Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition has raised concerns about the future of Whitehorse’s weekend soup kitchen.
In a letter published in today’s Star, coalition co-chair Kate Mechan noted that “changes to this 25-year volunteer-run program are soon to be imposed.”
The soup kitchen, run out of the CYO Hall at Sacred Heart Cathedral, was inspected by environmental health officers near the end of last year.
The issue of having food prepared in homes and then brought to serve at the soup kitchen was highlighted as problematic.
Father David Reilander, rector of Sacred Heart Cathedral, said in an interview this morning the health department has granted the church an extension to continue operations as usual until April.
He noted that the church and volunteers have been tasked to prepare a report detailing what options the church has, and what the consequences of complying with the regulations would be.
“As (Mechan) says, they’re not looking to interrupt the service. They see the good of it, and they want to work with us on this,” Reilander said this morning in response to Mechan’s letter.
The coalition stated that more Yukoners were using the meal program in 2015, with more than 85 plates served on both Saturdays and Sundays throughout the year.
It also states that no one has ever reported being ill from the meal program or soup kitchen food.
The CYO Hall kitchen is in compliance with the regulations, Reilander said.
But health inspectors can’t control every volunteer’s private home kitchens – where a good amount of the soups are prepared.
“I think we have to work together,” Reilander said.
“Their issue is safety, our issue is feeding. The regulations are there for a purpose.”
The Star’s calls to the Department of Health and Social Services went unanswered before this afternoon’s press deadline.
Comments (11)
Up 8 Down 0
find a way to test the soup for contaminants on Jan 15, 2016 at 5:01 pm
I worked for Health Canada before.... Couldn't they just a do a random test on the food, unannounced, and do that a few times a year to prove it's food safe (which we all know it is, 25 years and no food poisoning!!!!).
PULL YOUR HEADS OUTTA YOUR A**SES, Health Canada. You wreck this for the homeless and your heads are on the chopping block!!!
What gets me is everybody will eat factory farmed pork, fish, beef and chicken and all of it has ecoli (sh*t germs) on it and all of it has made people sick. The regulations of animal product inspection have let lots fall through the cracks and many have died from contaminated products. Worry about that HC, not soup that hasn't even gotten people sick. Leave this ALONEEEEEE
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Grandfather this program on Jan 15, 2016 at 3:00 pm
and leave it alone.
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The people who help others need on Jan 14, 2016 at 12:15 am
a break.
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Lost in the Yukon on Jan 13, 2016 at 4:06 pm
ProScience ... You are spot on in regards to HSS needing a housecleaning. A department that is supposed to be there to help the needy and vulnerable has become a department with no soul. There will be a reckoning after the next election and hopefully some of these folks will be shown the door.
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Max Mack on Jan 12, 2016 at 5:35 pm
Why are the "health" zealots (oops . . . I meant "inspectors") trying to force this completely volunteer activity out of existence? Volunteers pay for the food out of their own pocket. They prepare the food on their own dime, often in their own homes. They bring the food to the CYO hall, also on the their own dime. They share their time and resources freely, for the good of the disadvantaged. They are not paid nor renumerated, and there is certainly no profit involved.
What is the real agenda here?
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mary laker on Jan 11, 2016 at 8:36 pm
It's soup, so one would assume that they could just take the temp before serving and make sure it's however many degrees, sufficient to kill pathogens.
This is pretty much ridiculous if nobody has ever gotten sick. I can see that they are doing their job, kind of, but where does it end? Can you still invite people over for dinner? Have a party and leave hors d'oerves out?
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Maria on Jan 11, 2016 at 6:12 pm
Our team has prepared meals for the soup kitchen for years. Our December meal included 8 large baked hams, 4 large trays of scalloped potatoes, 6 huge bowls of Caesar salad, 10 bags of mixed vegetables. A huge pot of soup was also enjoyed by all, and 4 huge trays of dessert with ice cream were distributed during the course of one hour. Our group of 8-10 fed over 100 people. We also prepared 100 "to go" bags which included sandwiches, juices, fruit and a baked treat. We pay for the groceries out of own pockets and the food is prepared in our homes. The CYO hall does not have the capacity to cook these meals. If there was a facility, I personally would not volunteer to attend in the early morning hours to cook a full course meal, waiting until it's cooked and the doors open. Those attending the soup kitchen express their appreciation and thanks for the effort we put into providing them with a hot home cooked meal. Perhaps a sandwich and beverage will have to suffice. Shame on Environmental Health. There has never been a problem, but they are determined to make one.
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Politico on Jan 11, 2016 at 5:41 pm
Just another battle in the rich versus poor war. The poor always loose.
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ProScience Greenie on Jan 11, 2016 at 4:24 pm
The solution June, is for HSS to back off but they won't as it is not in their nature to do so. Just they way the bureaucratic system operates as they see you and your banana nut bread as a potential threat I guess. Anyways good on you and others for helping, don't let them bully you out of continuing with it.
And speaking of things that can make you sick to your stomach, of all the YTG departments, HSS is the one most in need of a good housecleaning, especially the deeply embedded mid to upper management old girls and boys club.
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June Jackson on Jan 11, 2016 at 3:52 pm
The soup kitchen is such a meaningful contribution to the community. I hate to see this potential for losing it arise. One of the reasons we have the volunteers we have is because people can make the soups at home, pick up ice cream buckets from the church, fill them up and return. Their soup is on the burner and they are free to look after their homes instead of having to spend 4 or 5 hours waiting for it to cook at the church. When I make banana nut bread, I make a few for the soup kitchen. It's very convenient for the home maker to contribute to the community and still look after their family.
The Salvation Army has a full time cook, a commercial kitchen, cleaners that get paid.
I can't remember anymore who was at those first meetings when Rose Byrns first started putting the soup kitchen together. I was at Lady of Victory then so many turned out to help.
The soup kitchen has a huge history.. I hope solutions are found.
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Lost in the Yukon on Jan 11, 2016 at 3:07 pm
Health and Social Services did the same thing to the Outreach Van and despite the "we want to work this out" rhetoric HSS I heard closed the hot food program down. History says this program will be next.