In March 2020, as the first COVID-19 lockdown took hold, Resilience Montreal Shelter put out a call for food items that could be served outside. In response, our Founder organized a group of friends to make and deliver 300 sandwiches every week. As the pandemic continued, other shelters around Montreal were also in dire need. Staff shortages at shelters became acute, numbers of people needing the shelter services were rising and accommodation capacities of shelters were cut to meet Public Health distancing guidelines.
As a result, more and more clients had to be fed from the doors of the shelters or out on the streets by intervention workers. Donations of fresh, nutritious food-to-go were desperately needed. In September 2020, Bread and Beyond was established to respond to the ongoing crisis and provide daily delivery of large numbers of home-prepared sandwiches to shelters in Montreal using an expanded network of community volunteers and schools.
An engaged, aware society that cares and advocates to end homelessness and hunger.
Our mission is to connect communities to the reality and needs of people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness and hunger with the aim of helping to meet basic needs while stimulating a shift in perceptions and promoting action.
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The high demand on shelters for people experiencing homelessness means community engagement is essential. However, the changing needs of the shelters are often not known, misunderstood and/or not met. Furthermore, ongoing stigma and misinformation about homelessness often leads to disconnection, negative attitudes and inaction.
Through social media, workshops, newsletters and website.
Active dialogue with shelters to communicate needs to communities.
Actively and appropriately respond to current and changing needs.
