By Kelly Butler
Sometimes a friendly face is all we need to help cope us with the loneliness that many of us experience, more so during these last few months. Some of our friends and neighbours in the community have been supported by the Capital City Mission Drop-In, located on Rideau Street between Augusta Street and Cobourg Street.
The Capital City Mission Drop-In (http://capitalcitymission.com/about/) is a small non-profit organization that receives no government funding. Since March 2000, they have been committed to meeting the needs of those in our neighbourhood. I reached out to Keltie Davidson, Executive Director, to ask how they are managing during these difficult times.
There have been many challenges over the past few months to find new “normals”. What makes this challenge even stronger for this community is that many people live alone and with very limited access to technology. With so many public spaces closed, it becomes difficult for people to have meaningful interactions with others or to even meet many of their daily basic needs. The isolation in this context is more severe, which is why the Drop-In knew that they needed to stay open, in some capacity, to maintain mental health and give people opportunities to connect with others.
The Capital City Mission Drop-In closed their indoor space last March and has been serving coffee and a light lunch “canteen style” from its kitchen window on Rideau Street. This change allowed the Drop-In to stay open through the pandemic. As many other services closed down, it began to see an increase in those visiting the Drop-In, with over 100 people coming by their window many days of the month. The Drop-In is providing support and encouragement to persons who are struggling with mental health issues, unstable housing, food insecurity, disabilities or addiction by engaging in conversation and friendship.
As the Drop-In move to opening up its indoor space to limited numbers of people, physically distanced and wearing masks, they will continue to keep the canteen window open to meet the demand of the surge in visits. This will mean an increase in the core operating team, while limiting the number of volunteers onsite to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID for volunteers and the community.
The pandemic has helped renew the Drop-In’s vision that, out of all the things it provides to meet physical needs, the most critical service they currently provide for people is a place of connection, friendship and belonging. Long-term staff and volunteers have made this outreach a welcome home for many, creating a family-like environment for friends and neighbours. The Capital City Mission Drop-In will continue to meet the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs of the community safely by using as many creative ways as necessary in the coming year as they respond to changing public-health recommendations.
Capital City Mission is fundraising through the Ride for Refuge (https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/TeamFundraisingPage.aspx?teamID=918697), a non-competitive annual event to be held on October 3, 2020, to raise awareness of people who have little or no voice and who often get left behind or ignored. By fundraising, they are supporting a charity that is bringing hope and refuge to those same people.
Anyone interested in donating food or grocery gift cards to the Drop-In can deliver them to 521 Rideau Street from Monday to Friday between 9:30a.m. and 12:00p.m. If you have any questions about delivery or what they are able to use, please reach out to keltie@capitalcitymission.com or phone 613-241-2407, or visit their website https://capitalcitymission.com/donation-items/
During these difficult times, let’s remember that happiness is often found in helping others! Kitchen window of the Capital City Drop-In on Rideau Street