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Can you help? Grassroots Kind Hearts Society seeking new location for dinner program

The Grassroots Kind Hearts Society, led by founding director Krisandra Rufus, is seeking a new, long-term location for their dinner program, which has been serving meals to the less fortunate members of our community since the spring of 2015.

The Grassroots Kind Hearts Society, led by founding director Krisandra Rufus, is seeking a new, long-term location for their dinner program, which has been serving meals to the less fortunate members of our community since the spring of 2015.

During the winter of 2015-16, the Radiant Life Church provided temporary access to operate from the same location as the downtown emergency homeless shelter. In the spring of 2016, City Council approved a three-month license to operate from the rear of the downtown fire hall property, and have granted two additional extensions to provide the society with additional time to find a more suitable location.

In an effort to assist the society, the city is issuing this media release in the hope that an organization or property owner may be in a position to help provide the society with a new location. A suitable location for the dinner program would ideally include the following:

n A downtown location.

n A sheltered area for serving meals in bad weather.

n Washroom and kitchen facilities.

“A longer-term solution would be most helpful to both the society and the people they are assisting,” says City Manager Deborah Sargent.

Over that last several months, the city has explored possible options for a dinner program location with Island Health and a number of local social service providers.

“The city has also encouraged the society to work with other community organizations to help deliver the dinner program, and now we’re helping put out the call to any organization or property owner who might be interested in helping some of our most vulnerable citizens,” Sargent adds.

Organizations or individuals in a position to provide assistance are encouraged to contact the Grassroots Kind Hearts Society through their website at http://www.grassrootskindhearts.org/