Volunteers are ‘also supporting and helping the town by providing a place for people who are experiencing homelessness. It’s an important thing,’ says kitchen help.
This is the 32nd in a series of columns written by staff from The Lighthouse to help the community better understand people experiencing homelessness and those who support them. This column appears every other Monday.
Every person has a story.
Whether someone is a participant, staff or volunteer, it’s a privilege to be part of their story during their time at The Lighthouse. Today, we want to introduce you to one of our 145 volunteers, Peter, who has been volunteering in The Lighthouse’s kitchen for just over four years.
Peter came to The Lighthouse following an early retirement as a chartered professional accountant (CPA) because of a physical injury. While his life had focused on the Barrie and Toronto area, he gravitated to Orillia because of connections with family.
With more time on his hands, he was looking for an opportunity that would give him meaningful connection, the right amount of physical activity, and that would challenge him personally.
In the past, Peter had helped serve a meal or two at Scott Mission in Toronto. It made such an impact on him that he did some research about similar organizations in Orillia. He learned about The Lighthouse’s Building Hope capital campaign and decided he wanted to be part of the organization’s growth and transition to 75 Queen St.
About a month after Peter began volunteering at The Lighthouse, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Suddenly there were new processes to establish, where Peter jumped right in.
He became one of the members of the core kitchen team during that time, preparing hundreds of meals daily for shelter participants who were staying at the hotel-model shelter and handing out bagged lunches to community members.
“It was the same group of us working together most days and we got a good system going,” he explained. “The sandwich program was good for me because I would be out at the table handing out lunches. That was what helped to realize that people who are homeless aren’t always what you’d expect. They have compelling stories.”
The Lighthouse’s move from Peter Street to Queen Street “was a lot of work,” Peter recalls. In a new facility, the kitchen team needed to learn how to use a variety of different equipment.
“I’m mechanically inclined, so I got to be involved in learning about the equipment, and I help with some of the maintenance for it, too. That’s something I appreciate about The Lighthouse. What I’ve really enjoyed are the opportunities that I’ve been given to get involved in what interests me,” said Peter.
While Peter’s primary focus has been volunteering in the kitchen, he’s also been involved in piloting a mentorship program at The Lighthouse. Recently, he’s started learning more about shelters and best practices for service delivery in the homelessness sector while becoming more involved with future youth services opportunities.
As part of Peter’s volunteering, he’s also taken on orienting new volunteers in the kitchen. There are approximately 30 volunteers who help out in the kitchen, and Peter trains each new volunteer that comes in.
“We do see turnover,” he says. “Some people stay a long time and others don’t because it’s just not for them, but they might go on to find another area to volunteer in like maintenance or the front desk.”
Peter has seen first-hand the difference that he is making in participants’ lives as well as in the community.
“What we’re able to do here is exceptional. Volunteering in the kitchen is rewarding because you can see what you’ve accomplished by feeding people,” said Peter. “You see people who come into shelter not necessarily looking well, but after a bit of time, they gain some weight, get some colour in their faces, and they’re getting healthier.”
While the kitchen serves a specific menu each day, if people have documented dietary needs, we’re also able to accommodate that.
“I’ve also learned over time that when you’re volunteering or working at The Lighthouse, you’re also supporting and helping the town by providing a place for people who are experiencing homelessness. It’s an important thing for the community,” said Peter. “The Lighthouse is here so they have a place.”
While the stigma about people who are experiencing homelessness is strong, getting to know each person as an individual makes a difference. When you think of a “homeless person,” you might think of the 30-something-year-old man who is staying outside and living with addictions.
The reality is that people come from many different situations, and it’s just as likely to be a senior who has lost their partner and found themself homeless as someone who is stuck in generational poverty and addiction.
Peter shares that “there are a significant number of people staying in the shelter who never leave the cafe after a meal without saying thank you.”
“Sometimes people tell me it takes a special kind of person to volunteer like I do,” he says with a smile. “Whether or not that’s true, I do it because I’m also having fun. I plan to be here long term.”Peter encourages anyone who’s interested to “reach out to Donna, the volunteer supervisor, and learn how you could be involved in different ways. If you’re just curious about the organization in general, reach out and book a tour. Come check it out.”
We are so thankful for volunteers like Peter who generously use their skills to care for our community. If you’re interested in volunteering at The Lighthouse, contact Donna, Volunteer Supervisor, at donna@orillialighthouse.ca.
Linda Goodall is the former executive director at The Lighthouse. For further information contact Dale Rowe, Executive Director at dale@orillialighthouse.ca.
Rosemary Petersen is the managing director at The Lighthouse and can be reached at rosemary@orillialighthouse.ca.