Twenty-three Centretown church congregations banded together to host the first annual walkathon in support of the Centretown Emergency Food Centre — a fundraising effort sorely needed after the centre’s support of government-sponsored Syrian refugees this year left it struggling to meet the spike in demand.
Elizabeth Kent, head organizer of Walk for the Centre and vice-chair of the Centretown Churches Social Action Committee — parent organization of the food centre — said she wanted to help the service continue to support refugees while balancing its budget.
The walkathon was held on Oct. 16 and began at City Hall as a tribute to the municipality, which funds about one-sixth of the CEFC’s annual budget. The two-kilometre route looped around Parliament Hill while a four-kilometre route travelled along the Ottawa River.
Somerset Coun. Catherine McKenney opened the event with a speech announcing that she hoped to see $500,000 added to the 2017 city budget to better support organizations like CEFC during “unforeseen” increases in clientele, such as the refugee crisis.
“These new people are our neighbours and we have the same commitment to everyone,” Kent said.
Kerry Kaiser, CEFC’s coordinator and its only full-time employee, said it has been a financially difficult year since refugees began arriving in Centretown in November 2015. Kent added that the centre has experienced a 25-per-cent increase in clientele since January 2016 after more refugees arrived.
The food centre, operated by CCSAC from the basement of Centretown United Church on Bank Street, covers those living in the area bordered by Lyon Street, Wellington Street, Billings Bridge and Main Street. Centre visits are limited to once per month and visitors receive a three-to-four day supply of basic groceries at a time.
Kaiser estimated that about 250 Syrian refugee families have lived in the centre’s catchment area since November 2015. She said many of them have to use the food centre’s services since it can take months to receive funding, and they are unable to support themselves through government work programs.
“Often they’re making a choice: ‘Do I buy my children shoes or do I buy my children food?’” she said.
According to Kaiser, the Syrian newcomers have been appreciative of the centre’s services. She said they don’t take more than they need, often only asking for inexpensive cultural staples such as rice and chickpeas.
CCSAC treasurer Joe Courtright estimated that roughly 100 people attended the walkathon, despite overcast and rainy weather.
“We finally overcame the inertia of not doing anything… (The walkathon) has been very gratifying,” he said.
According to Courtright, about $3,000 of the $10,000 fundraising goal had been raised through online donations before the walk began. Event fundraising totals have not been finalized.
Susan Palmai, a congregation member at Glebe-St. James United Church, one of the churches represented in the CCSAC, said she registered for the walk because the food centre is always in need of support.
“The need just gets greater and greater,” Palmai said. “It doesn’t seem to be slowing down or going away and so we felt we needed to be here.”
Courtright said the CCSAC already has plans to host the walk again next year. Kaiser added that she would continue to work alongside the members of CCSAC so the centre can keep helping all members of the Centretown community, regardless of where they come from.
“It’s not just the food that we give out,” Kaiser said. “It’s the hope… and I think that’s one of the greatest things we provide.”