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For businesses, a 30 per cent jump in clientele would be a good thing, but for the Upper Room Mission it means a lot more mouths to feed.
Rick Lavin, URM executive director, said overall usage of the mission is up 12 per cent on the year, but a whopping 30 per cent over the last quarter compared to last year.
“Things are always busy down here,” said Lavin. “There is a lot more demand for what we're doing here right now. It's always a strain on resources. We are holding our own and making sure people are being fed.”
Lavin said the volunteers and community support is “outstanding. It's through the roof and it is allowing us to be able to meet the needs of hungry people.”
Lavin said there are many new faces at the mission and more are expected.
The mission is bracing for another jump in users, as pickers from other parts of the country descend on Vernon in search of work.
There are also transients in town as people travel across the country in the warm summer months, said Lavin, adding many of them use the mission.
But locals are also reaching out for a helping hand.
“Overall, our demographics are changing. We've got more seniors coming in to get something to eat as they can't make it to the end of the month. We've got young families with children coming in and we've had to put high chairs into the mission. It's sad to see some of the changes that are happening.”
The fires in Fort McMurray are also impacting the mission as the breadwinners of the family have suddenly found themselves unemployed and unable to make ends meet.
Lavin says one of the solutions to the problem is not a new one, but it is a challenging one.
“Housing first,” he said. “There is no place for people to rent who are homeless, it's driving people out onto the street, living in cars, living in the parks, living under bridges. If you don't have a place to call home, a base to work out of, it makes everything difficult.”
While all donations to the mission are gratefully accepted, financial donations can go the farthest.
“Pick any charity. It doesn't matter if it's the mission or somebody else, but money works better than contributions. We can leverage dollars – three dollars to every one dollar donated is our buying power.”
