Penticton's only daily soup kitchen has been served with eviction

Soupateria faces closure

Photo: Penticton Soupateria

File photo of a holiday meal served at Penticton Soupateria.

Penticton's only daily soup kitchen may need to close its current doors after receiving an eviction notice.

Penticton Soupateria is a non-profit volunteer-based organization that offers free hot meals to any who needs it 365 days a year.

The organization operates out of a downtown location on Orchard Avenue, feeding anyone with no questions asked via a lunch service every day of the week, plus special meals on some holidays.

Their future at that location is now in limbo.

Their landlords, the neighbouring St. Saviour's Anglican Church, have given them until May to move out.

Soupateria's president Roderick Strike confirmed to Castanet that they are actively looking to find other potential locations, working with elected officials, community foundations and food security groups to ensure their future — while also trying to work with St. Saviour's to potentially keep the lease of the kitchen space going.

Strike said he completely understands St. Saviour's concerns, because a small group of "bad apple" users of the soup kitchen have caused trouble in the area.

But he also emphasized they feed between 100 and 150 people a day on average, from single mothers and fathers with their kids, to seniors, to people between jobs and handicapped individuals, the vast majority of whom are there not for mischief but for food.

He said he is working on a proposal to keep the kitchen running at its current Orchard Avenue location, and perhaps transporting the food to another area for pickup.

"One [option] is to keep the kitchen, no service, but have a food truck and deliver that food right to a space somewhere in the city, away from a neighbourhood," Strike said.

"Option two would have to be a new location. And option three, we close after 40 years."

Soupateria has operated since 1986. Volunteers range from families to seniors, providing food for the needy every day.

Closure, to Strike and many others, would be heartbreaking.

"We've all worked too damn hard ... It'll be devastating if we pack it in."

St. Saviour's was not immediately available for comment, but Castanet will be providing updates on this story.

For more information on Penticton Soupateria, including how to donate to their work and to reach out to them about a potential space for their work, click here.