Souls Harbour’s Easter meal gets a makeover due to COVID-19

Holiday meals are a staple every year at Souls Harbour Rescue Mission in Regina, but things have had to change a bit this year because of COVID-19.

Normally for the Easter meal, people come into the dining hall, sit down together at big tables and eat together after being served cafeteria-style.

But because of the public health restrictions and recommendations, that’s not possible.

This year, for the meal on April 10, the organization has had to modify things.

“Each person will come into the facility by themselves, so one individual at a time. They’re given some hand sanitizer and they use that and then they can come forward and pick up their pre-packaged meal and then exit the building through the out door, and then we serve the next person,” explained Joe Miller, executive director of Souls Harbour.

Miller said the sad part is that the people won’t get to socialize or come in out of the cold; they just have to pick up the food and leave.

“It’s unfortunate but it is the new reality,” he said. “It’s our new world for now.”

Some organizations have shut their doors, or might not endeavour to continue holiday meals, but Miller said what Souls Harbour does is essential for these people, and it’s important they still have the opportunity.

“A lot of the people that we serve, we’re their family, and we’re their means to staying fed. If it wasn’t for us, they’d be hungry. And it’s essential that they get the services they need (and) they get the care they need, whether it’s giving them a meal (or) whether it’s sheltering the homeless,” said Miller.

He explained Souls Harbour officials are working hard to make sure their clients and employees all feel safe, which means constantly enforcing distancing protocols and cleaning surfaces constantly.

Normally, Souls Harbour might be asking for volunteers, but Miller said with the distancing protocols the facility has in place, it has cut its volunteer staff down to just a very small core group.

Souls Harbour has most of what it needs for the upcoming meal, including a donation of chocolate bunnies, but could still use a few things like butter and frozen mixed vegetables.

Miller also said the facility still needs donations to keep things running and continue to pay salaries.