Montreal's oldest homeless drop-in centre to end meal services on weekends
CBC
The oldest organization in Montreal that works with people experiencing homelessness says it no longer has the means to offer meals on weekends.
Accueil Bonneau, which operates a soup kitchen and offers other services in Old Montreal, announced that it will stop serving weekend meals starting on Jan. 6.
The organization said in a Facebook post on Dec. 23 that it had reluctantly decided to suspend the service, which supports about 400 homeless people each year. Accueil Bonneau says it is the first time it has done so in its nearly 150 years of existence. If an agreement is not reached with the province to increase funding, the organization says it will have to stop serving meals completely in February.
"We are working tirelessly to find lasting solutions to this financing problem," the post read.
Quebec's minister responsible for social services, Lionel Carmant, is scheduled to meet the organization Wednesday.
A spokesperson for Carmant said the minister has contacted Accueil Bonneau about the situation and that $50,000 in emergency assistance has already been transferred to the organization.
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