Agape Table looking for volunteer help, donations as Thanksgiving approaches
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, a local organization said it could use some extra hands and donations to help those in need.
Agape Table is preparing for its Thanksgiving meal, which will be handed out on Thursday.
This year, the meal will feature ham, potatoes, cooked vegetables and dessert.
Dave Feniuk, the general manager of Agape Table, said the number of people in need has skyrocketed since the pandemic. On average, they now serve around 600 people a day. The organization even saw a one-day record of 768.
“We started with 85,000 [meals served for the year] in 2019. In 2021, we were up over 126,000 [meals served for the year],” said Feniuk.
He added they are still having to serve people at the door as they are not able to have everyone inside.
With an increased number of people being served, Feniuk said they are in need of more volunteers.
“We only have a staff of seven sometimes eight, without volunteers, we couldn’t make the magic happen.”
Aaron Scarff, the volunteer coordinator for Agape Table, said the volunteers who work the morning shift, show up bright and early and start preparing the meals that will be handed out that day. He said they usually put in a few hours of work every day.
“The volunteers at Agape Table are probably the most integral part of what we do each day. Without them, we just simply cannot exist,” said Scarff. “Without the continuous support of each volunteer that donates their time, it enables us to keep doing what we do.”
Scarff said volunteering at Agape Table gives a sense of belonging and community, adding they’re a bright spot of his day.
Along with needing volunteers, Feniuk said the organization is always in need of food and monetary donations.
He said anything can be donated and nothing goes to waste.
“Without food, we can’t do what we do,” said Feniuk. “And we always have excess costs, so your monetary donations are imperative.”
Feniuk added they are also always looking for hygiene products, as well as clothing items like socks.
Agape Table is funded 100 per cent by donations.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
BREAKING Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, claims he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have told the court the accused unlawfully caused the death of four women, but argue he is not criminally responsible due to mental disorder.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Human remains were found at a former Hitler base, but decay prevents determining the cause of death
Polish prosecutors have discontinued an investigation into human skeletons found at a site where German dictator Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders spent time during the Second World War because the advanced state of decay made it impossible to determine the cause of death, a spokesman said Monday.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
Trump fined US$1,000 for gag order violation in hush money case as judge warns of possible jail time
The judge presiding over Donald Trump's hush money trial fined him US$1,000 on Monday for violating his gag order once again and sternly warned the former president that additional violations could result in jail time.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.