(Montreal) The oldest organization in Montreal that works with people experiencing homelessness says it no longer has the means to serve meals on weekends.
L’Accueil Bonneau, which operates a soup kitchen and offers other services in Old Montreal, announced that it will stop serving weekend meals starting next Saturday.
The organization says that if an agreement is not reached with the province to increase funding, it will have to stop serving meals completely in February.
In a Facebook post on December 23, Accueil Bonneau spoke of a decision “taken reluctantly” and “a first in nearly 150 years of existence.”
Founded in 1877, Accueil Bonneau says it provides meals to approximately 400 people each day.
The Quebec minister responsible for social services, Lionel Carmant, is scheduled to meet the organization on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for Mr. Carmant said that the minister is communicating with Accueil Bonneau about the situation and that emergency assistance of $50,000 has already been paid.