Fewer may be fed this Thanksgiving, as Winnipeg's shelters, food banks limit access due to COVID-19

Siloam Mission's annual Thanksgiving dinner for those who are less fortunate in Winnipegis usuallypreceded by amedia campaign advertising the day and timebut not this year.

In fact,the shelterisn't publicly announcing which day it will be having its sit-downholiday meal a celebration which typically draws more patrons than Christmas in order to avoid a big influx of people.

With past holiday meals, "when we publicize it, we sometimes get extra people that day who normally wouldn't be using our services," said Siloamcommunications manager Luke Thiessen.

"And we just don't wantto crowdany more than we have to when we serve that meal."

They have to avoid a crowd this year because of Winnipeg's concerningCOVID-19 numbers, andrestrictions in place as the city and surrounding area are at the orange, or "restricted," level on the province's pandemic response system.

WATCH | Winnipeg's shelters, food banks limit access due to COVID-19:

Shelters and food banks struggle to keep people fed during pandemic

4 years ago

Duration 2:16

Fewer of Winnipeg's vulnerable population will be fed this Thanksgiving as shelters and food banks limit access because of COVID-19.

In light of that, Siloamis trying to be as cautious as possible. Priority for the sit-down Thanksgiving meal is being given to those who already stay at the shelter, which is roughly 100people.

The dinners are just so important for folks who are isolatedand don't havethe opportunityto get out much- Nicole Sward, West Broadway Community Organization

Another 300who visit Siloam on a daily basis won't be allowed inside, but theywill get a hot meal togo.That's about half of the700 to 800 people who were fed a sit-downturkey dinner with all the fixings last year.

"Moving to the orange phase has been a real extra challenge, in terms of realizing we definitely can't increase numbers on that day. If anything, we have to decrease and find ways to get those meals out the front door," said Thiessen.

He acknowledges planning large-scale meals during a pandemic hasn't been easy, but says it is manageable.

Agencies that provide social services are exempt from the 10-person gathering limitthat applies elsewhere in Winnipeg,as long as they are following health protocols, such as monitoring and screening those who come in, and tracking whohas come and gone.

"Our group of people who are staying in our shelter are effectively a bubble they get all of their service there. We aren't allowing anyone inside who is not part of that cohort, that bubble," said Thiessen.

Up to 110 people can safely sit in the dining room while physicallydistancing, Thiessen said. Patrons will wear masks when they aren't eating.

Dinner at home, online gathering in West Broadway

The West Broadway Community Organization will also be serving fewerpeople for its annual fall dinner, and it will look a lot different than usual.

Instead of a sit-down meal for the community at large, which usually draws in around 300 people, about 40 households are receiving meal kits with food they can cook at home.

They will also be able to takea virtual cooking class online, and a fall dinner will be held over Zoom on Oct. 13.

"The whole idea of this came from our members and our seniors committee, who really wantedto do this because the dinners are just so important for folks who are isolatedand don't havethe opportunityto get out much,"said Nicole Sward, the co-ordinator for the community organization'sGood Food Club.

"We just went with it and made it work."

Staff are also reaching out to help patronswho don't have a computer or know how to connect with Zoomget access to a device and log on.

While at first they were disappointed about what they couldn't do because of the pandemic, Sward says the neighbourhood renewal organization'score patrons are excited about what they can still do.

"The feedback has been great. They are so looking forward to it. They will learn how to cook a healthy meal and fight isolation by bringing people together."

More sittings for Union Gospel dinner

Union Gospel Mission is aiming to serve roughly the same number of people as last year by increasing its number of sittings to comply with safety restrictions.It's serving up a Thanksgiving meal onOct. 10, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Normally a couple of sittings are held for themeal. This year, staff memberRosanne McLellansays there will be fivesittings, with 40 people each. Patrons will line up outside andtake part in a brief Thanksgiving service before dining.

The Salvation Army, meanwhile,is handing out free tickets for takeout turkey dinners on Oct. 7, at four different times and four different doors at its Logan Avenue location.

Union Gospel is asking for donations of frozen vegetables, whileSiloam needs takeout containers. Both are also appealing for financial donations.

Thiessen admits not advertising this years's dinner could affect donations.

"I think we have some worry that donations will be slumping in general as the pandemic drags on especially because we aren't having a big media event around the holiday meal either," he said.

"We will have to wait and see where we stand after the weekend."