Dew Drop Inn sees increase in meals served during pandemic

By Rick Garrick

THUNDER BAY — Homeless people accounted for about 10-12 per cent of the people who received about 9,690 takeout meals from the Dew Drop Inn during the month of June in Thunder Bay.

“It’s been very difficult for [homeless people] with limited access to anything,” says Michael Quibell, executive director of the Dew Drop Inn. “A lot of people were very nervous, very afraid that we would not be open, so we are incredibly grateful that are able to continue to feed the hungry in Thunder Bay. The funding from the [federal] government ($76,468), has definitely allowed us to step it up and provide a really nutritious lunch for people, so it’s keeping the neighbourhood healthy.”

Al Towegishig, who lives in Thunder Bay but is originally from Longlac, appreciates the opportunity to continue getting a nutritious meal during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The Dew Drop Inn previously served hot meals from 2-3:30 p.m. seven days a week to any person who was hungry with no questions asked, but now provides takeout meals from 8:30-3:30 in order to avoid lineups.

“It’s just someplace to go and there’s food there for you when you’re hungry,” Towegishig says. “[The pandemic] hasn’t really affected me too much, just there’s no malls [open]. It’s hard to travel — I’m actually heading out of province and it’s been real hard just finding a way out.”

Towegishig says he preferred the hot meals that were served inside the Dew Drop Inn building before the pandemic, noting he has been getting meals on and off for about 10 years from the Dew Drop Inn.

“I didn’t mind the actual food they gave out before, like going in for a hot lunch,” Towegishig says.

Quibell says the Dew Drop Inn has seen an increase in clients since the pandemic. The Dew Drop Inn is a non-profit corporation and registered charity that used to be an outreach ministry of St. Andrew’s Roman Catholic Church from 1981 to 2008.

“In June, we did 9,690 [meals], which is a record for the 39 years that we’ve been feeding the hungry in Thunder Bay,” Quibell says. “The last four months we’ve done over 9,000 (per month); a year ago we were doing 7,000 a month so it definitely has escalated.”

Quibell says the takeout meals include one or two drinks and one or two pieces of fruit depending on the day.

“You get two very hearty sandwiches, you get a salad, which is a potato, a coleslaw or a pasta,” Quibell says. “You get a protein which could be chicken or pizza, you get a dessert and you get a bonus item.”

Thunder Bay-Superior North MP Patty Hajdu, who used to work with the homeless as executive director of Shelter House Thunder Bay before being elected to Parliament in 2015, says it was “really hard to be homeless” before the pandemic.

“But of course during COVID-19, it’s very, very difficult,” Hajdu says. “Some people, for example, who are street engaged might be relying on just random donations from individuals. If there’s no individuals around, then of course there’s nobody to help support them through gifting on the street.”

Hajdu says some services may not be available during the pandemic that homeless people used to rely on and there may be restrictions in times of entry at various organizations.

“When there is a world crisis like this it is the most vulnerable that actually are more disproportionately impacted because their existence is so fragile and so difficult to begin with,” Hajdu says. “I’m just grateful for the work of Dew Drop Inn and Shelter House Thunder Bay and the many other organizations in our community that continue to keep their doors open, even when there is a higher degree of risk to them or to their volunteers. We have to remember if we truly are all in this together, we have to band together around the most vulnerable.”