Latest news with #LeonBaker
CTV News
11 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
‘Significant win': Moncton shelter re-instates community meal program
The kitchen at Harvest House in Moncton, N.B., is pictured. (CTV Atlantic / Derek Haggett) A downtown Moncton shelter will continue to provide three meals a day and other services to the community. Harvest House Atlantic announced its Community Support Program will continue. Running from July 1 and to Dec. 31. On June 17, Harvest House Atlantic executive director Leon Baker told CTV News Atlantic the organization would stop providing meals and services to non-residents of the homeless shelter because they couldn't afford to feed the community as a whole. Harvest House is collaborating with its federal and provincial partners, and through the support of the Greater Moncton Homelessness Steering Committee, to continue providing its program to non-shelter residents. In a news release sent Wednesday, Baker said the news was a 'significant win' for the members of the community they serve. 'We're incredibly thankful for the timely support that has come together to make this possible. It's a reminder that when the community works together, meaningful impact follows,' said Baker. The renewed funding will support a six-month extension of essential services that include: • Breakfast, lunch, and supper daily • Access to sandwiches and water at the door 24 hours a day, seven days a week • Laundry and shower services • Referrals and case management support • Overdose prevention and response • Outreach services • Access to an indoor area during extreme weather conditions In the news release, Harvest House said it still has various costs remaining, including food supplements, cleaning supplies, utilities, and outreach materials. Donations can be made by visiting or by calling 506-866-0626. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTV News
17-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
‘We're losing it all': Moncton shelter to phase out community services
Matt Gennis serves up lunch at the Harvest House Community Centre and Shelter in downtown Moncton. (CTV Atlantic/Derek Haggett) It's lunch time at Harvest House Community Centre and Shelter in downtown Moncton. Staff have made dozens of sandwiches for clients, and members of the community who have popped in for a bite to eat. Wayne Peters isn't a resident of the shelter, but he frequently makes the short walk for a meal, but that's not going to last. 'I use other facilities here too. Laundry, they do here for us and they're shutting that down. We're going to have to find our own way of doing stuff. And this is where we get our meals and the meals here are pretty good. Very delicious meals here, but we're losing it all,' said Peters. Harvest House Executive Director, Leon Baker, confirmed to CTV News on Tuesday that the organization will stop providing meals and services to non-residents of the shelter. Leon Baker Leon Baker is in the Harvest House Atlantic office on High Street in downtown Moncton. (CTV Atlantic/ Derek Haggett) 'Because the need is so great now in the community, we can't afford as an organization to feed the community as a whole. We're serving 700 meals a day, 365 days a year,' said Baker. The 60 residents of the shelter, plus the men and women in addiction recovery programs, will continue to receive three meals a day, but not the working poor, seniors and newcomers who use the service. 'Those are the folks that we are no longer going to be able to serve,' said Baker. 'With a heavy heart, we've had to make that decision to ensure that we have continuity for the organization moving forward, but there's no way that we can afford the overhead cost, the food cost to serve 700 meals a day.' Harvest House will use a phase out approach to ensure they allow the community and the people they serve to adapt. This week, laundry service will be discontinued, and breakfast will be for shelter guests only. The following week only a full supper will be available for the community. From July 2 on, meals will be for shelter guests only. That's bad news for David Messenger and his partner Tamara Fitzgerald who fled the wildfires in southern Manitoba to come to Moncton. David Messenger David Messenger and his dogs Roxie and Penny inside his camper trailer. (CTV Atlantic/ Derek Haggett) Messenger was employed, but his job was getting too physically demanding for the 62-year-old. For now, the couple along with their two dogs and a cat, are living out of a camper trailer. 'We wanted to start a new life,' said Messenger. They've been eating at Harvest House until they can get back on their feet. 'When we came here, we didn't have anything. By the time we got here we had spent everything we had on fuel. We didn't even have any food,' said Messenger. 'We've been getting three meals a day at Harvest House, and they've been letting us use the showers. Otherwise, where are you going to go to get clean?' Fitzgerald said the news is disappointing for them, but she's also worried about those living on the streets. 'There are people that are more in need that could really use their services all around,' said Fitzgerald. Baker wanted to make it clear provincial funding hasn't been cut for programs; they just can't keep up with the demand and the additional monthly expense of $38,000 to feed anyone in the community who needs it. He did however go to Social Development and the Department of Health to ask for more assistance. 'Unfortunately, when they came back, they weren't able to provide the funding that we need in order to feed the community at large,' said Baker. The Department of Health did raise their annual grant for food from $5,000 to $20,000 a year. 'But when our costs are $38,000 a month to feed the community at a whole, at large, it just wasn't enough to meet the needs,' said Baker. Baker said their loyal donors have been very good to them, but looking for a nearly additional half million dollars annually to keep programs for the community running might be too much to ask. If someone were to come forward, Baker said they would certainly keep the programs going. However, Baker said the shelter won't say no to anyone desperate for a meal. 'Reality is if somebody really showed up at our door, absolute dire straits in need, you're not turning anyone away,' said Baker. CTV News has reached out to the provincial government for comment. More to come….. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
