Tiny Home Takeout looking for volunteers
Posted Oct 7, 2021 06:15:00 PM.
Tiny Home Takeout is looking for volunteers.
The initiative launched back in February at the corner of Duke and Young Street in downtown Kitchener.
“Out of a little house and the large commerical kitchen in the basement of the church, we serve between 500 and 600 meals a night,” said Tony D'Amato Stortz, outreach coordinator for St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church.
He added it's a pay what you can, if you can model.
“People with a lot of money in their pocket can contribute more, people who just have a few dollars can pay that — people without anything can take the food for free.”
D'Amato Stortz said it's really a balancing act, as people who have money can pay for the cost of the meal of the people who don't.
“Through that, what we can do, is we can all eat together and share a common table in a way that we can't do it in so many other places.”
He said since Tiny Home Takeout started operating, there has been an outstanding reaction from the community.
“There has been so much support and I think part of it is because it came at a time when there wasn't very many ways we could feel connected to each other,” said D'Amato Stortz. “Through the COVID pandemic, as well as more inequality in downtown Kitchener, it becomes more like there's two worlds: there's the world of the high-rises, and then there's the world of the people walking around on the street.”
He said those worlds have gotten farther and farther apart.
“But one of the things we really try to do at Tiny Home Takeout is bring those worlds together,” explained D'Amato Stortz. “Whether you have money or not, whether you have a job or not … that doesn't indicate your value to us. By being there, you are valuable, and everybody gets the same quality of food.”
Tiny Home Takeout is open five days a week from Tuesday to Saturday from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Anyone interested in volunteering can e-mail tinyhometakeout@gmail.com.
