There’s been a very visible reminder of how great the North Okanagan really is.
Since Monday night when a pipe burst, sending a torrent of water through Vernon’s Upper Room Mission, the community has rallied behind the non-profit agency that provides about 300 meals a day to people in need.
With the kitchen and dining room unavailable, local restaurants began showing up on site and serving meals under a big tent in the mission’s parking lot. And on Thursday, the meals shifted to the People Place, which has donated space for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The menu changes from meal to meal and day to day, but what is guaranteed is the generosity of everyone involved. These businesses and their employees have recognized the emergency that has arisen for the Upper Room Mission and its clients, many of whom depend on the agency for a nutritious, hot meal.
“We are relying on the community to help feed our clients. The response has been overwhelming,” said Lisa Anderson, with URM.
Beyond the damage to the building, all of the food in the mission was contaminated by the water so cash donations are being sought to restock the shelves (food donations are not being accepted because of a lack of storage).
A trust account has been set up at VantageOne Credit Union, and donations can be made at any VantageOne Branch. The account number is 943555.
Ongoing support will be needed as repairs to the mission could take six to eight weeks. It’s a lot to ask of the businesses and the public, but we must all recognize that there is a segment of our community that struggles to put food on the table.
We need to stand with our neighbours.
