By: Mohammed Amine Harmach, LCRC Volunteer
Every Monday, an Ottawa Food Bank truck drops off food at 145 Beausoleil Drive. The LCRC’s (Lowertown Community Resource Centre) Community House turns into a huge food warehouse.
“Five pallets! That’s better than the three we received last week!” says a satisfied employee of the Lowertown Food Bank. Fruit, vegetables, meat, eggs, milk, bread, condiments, pasta, cans of all kinds, lentils, rice, flour, salt … There are also diapers and sanitary products, amongst other items.
On this Monday morning in August, a new volunteer has joined the team to help unload the truck. Everything has to find its place quickly and carefully in this space. Every corner, every millimetre, is optimized for maximum use. For some time now, the basement has been used as a warehouse. The first floor houses food ready for distribution. Even a bathroom has been converted. Equipped, with a refrigerator, it now stores food. On the second floor, the administration and a computer/internet room are located, with free access for local residents.
Growing demand
This small two-storey duplex has been home to the local food bank for several years now. As the needs of the population grow, so does the program. As a result, the community house’s other services have taken a back seat. These include laundry, workshops, collective kitchens, and coffee-chats, among other activities. Some have almost disappeared.
The reason for this is the ever-increasing demand for the Lowertown food bank. The neighborhood is one of Ottawa’s largest concentrations of community housing. More than one resident in seven has made use of the food bank’s services at least once. This is according to the LCRC in its 2023-2024 report. More than 275,750 kilograms of food were delivered in one year, from April 2023 to the end of March 2024, notably from the Ottawa Food Bank.
“Here, more than a food bank, we provide a living space where links are forged,” explains Malika Oumou Moumouni Sonde, food bank coordinator. “When a customer crosses the doorstep, we make sure they receive all the attention their particular situation deserves,” she explains. “Sometimes, if we don’t have the necessary resources, we refer them to other organizations that will be able to assist them,” continues Malika, who volunteered at the bank for over nine months before applying for the position of coordinator when the opportunity arose.
“In addition to the food provided by the Ottawa Food Bank, the donations we receive enable us to purchase additional foodstuffs (bread, milk, vegetables, fruit, meat, etc.),” she explains. The aim is to ensure that the food we provide is as balanced and healthy as possible. But despite these efforts, the program faces a number of challenges.
The social context, marked by the rising cost of living and the vulnerability of some Lowertown residents, is a factor. “We used to serve our clients twice a month. But now, appointments are scheduled almost every 45 days,” laments Malika. She attributes the longer time between appointments to greater demand. The other reason given is the drop in donations from donors to the Ottawa Food Bank. But this in no way detracts from the dedication of employees and volunteers.
A cramped, unsuitable location
“We try to serve two clients every 15 minutes by scheduling appointments,” explains Mélissa Thibault-Canas, coordinator of the Community House. According to her, the aim of such an arrangement is above all to guarantee the confidentiality of beneficiaries and preserve their dignity. However, she points to the constraints imposed by a cramped and inappropriate location. “The premises here at 145 Beausoleil Drive are not suited to the mission of a food bank. You only have to look at the stairs to see that,” she warns. Indeed, according to Mélissa, the stairs are a hazard for staff and volunteers alike, particularly during the slippery winter months.
“The place on the other side is definitely more suitable. We can’t wait to move there”, assures Mélissa. In fact, she’s referring to a space that the City of Ottawa would grant to the LCRC, at 40 Cobourg Street. But that’s another story! The long-awaited move is stymied by a seemingly surmountable detail: a ramp! Designed for people with reduced mobility, this ramp should provide access to the building and to the food bank’s services.
But the facility is at the heart of a dispute between the city and the Patro, a French-language community recreation organization, and Montfort-Renaissance, a francophone community organization, which owns part of the building housing the ramp. It’s an imbroglio that has been the subject of much discussion in local Ottawa newspapers, and one whose outcome is eagerly awaited.
