Gore Park Community Outreach (http://www.goreparkoutreach.ca) was born out of need in 2021 to serve those displaced during the toughest days of the pandemic. 6 volunteers on a stormy winter day served a warm meal for 35 guests in Gore Park in downtown Hamilton. Since then, the need and the initiative have both ballooned. Now serving 700-1000 individuals every Saturday with a team of 100 volunteers, the Outreach initiative sees block-long lineups around 1 James while helping individuals and families secure access to perishables and non-perishables alongside a hot cooked meal.
Queenette Martins works closely with the organizer and has volunteered a considerable amount of her own time with this initiative. She took it upon herself to mobilize the rest of the #FirstOntario Credit Union Small Business team in support and on Saturday, April 6, she was joined by CHRISTINE GENDREAU Dayna Ford Zach Champagne and myself to help serve 850 individuals that came through. Peter Oliveira joined in spirit as he was feeling under the weather but otherwise had every intention of taking part.
We would collectively like to acknowledge the great work that the Outreach group is undertaking to tackle food security issues in our community. We would strongly encourage other individuals and departments to consider carving out a Saturday morning to take part in what is ultimately a rewarding and beneficial endeavour!
Queenette Martins works closely with the organizer and has volunteered a considerable amount of her own time with this initiative. She took it upon herself to mobilize the rest of the #FirstOntario Credit Union Small Business team in support and on Saturday, April 6, she was joined by CHRISTINE GENDREAU Dayna Ford Zach Champagne and myself to help serve 850 individuals that came through. Peter Oliveira joined in spirit as he was feeling under the weather but otherwise had every intention of taking part.
We would collectively like to acknowledge the great work that the Outreach group is undertaking to tackle food security issues in our community. We would strongly encourage other individuals and departments to consider carving out a Saturday morning to take part in what is ultimately a rewarding and beneficial endeavour!