Accessing support and making memories

Cooperation comes up often when you chat with Sheila and Sharon about their work at the Sydney Mines Food Bank Society—cooperating with each other, with the community, and with other food banks in the area to provide better support for those in need.

Each fall they team up with the North Sydney Community Food Bank to rent a van to take clients to Under One Umbrella at Centre 200. The annual event is a unique opportunity for people who are homeless or are at risk of homeless to access a variety of services in one place, at one time. Sheila says people were overjoyed at the chance to connect with a lawyer or see an optometrist. For Sharon, the reaction of one couple really stood out.

“They had massages, hair cuts, and shared a delicious chicken dinner,” she recalls. “And they felt like they were out on a date that day; it was just wonderful.”

Contact the Nova Scotia Health Authority for more info about Under One Umbrella. A similar event also takes places in Halifax. Learn more about Halifax Connects.