Better Winnipeg: 10-year-old plans barbecue for the homeless

WINNIPEG — Most people don’t think twice about firing up a barbecue for a summertime meal. But for some Winnipeggers, it’s simply not possible, because they don’t have a place to call home.

Brady McQueen, 10, had the idea of organizing a barbecue for the city’s homeless so they too could have the special experience.

Brady’s Big BBQ will take place Saturday outside Main Street Project at 75 Martha St.

“Most people have barbecues all the time, whenever they want,” Brady said. “I figured the homeless should have that too.”

In an effort to gather all the staples for a barbecue, Brady and his family handed out more than 170 fliers in their neighbourhood and approached local businesses for donations. With $300 cash and product donations, they have 300 hamburger patties, 440 hot dogs, 600 bottles of water, buns, condiments and plates.

Brady and his younger brother Liam, 7, have also enlisted their grandmother to help bake 300 cupcakes for dessert.

Brady has been passionate about helping the homeless for years. Last winter his plan to collect 20 cans of coffee for the Main Street Project took off unexpectedly. Word spread about Brady’s Cups of Warmth campaign. By his 10th birthday in February, Brady was able to deliver nearly 200 cans of coffee, tea and hot chocolate to the inner-city shelter.

Main Street Project executive director Lisa Goss said the organization serves food to 300 to 400 people per day and with limited resources, can’t provide extras like a barbecue.

“It’s expensive. It takes a lot of resources for us in staff time, and so for the public to come in and do this, that’s huge for us.”

Tammy McQueen is happy to support her son’s ideas to help the homeless. Many people could find themselves in such a situation, she said.

“Somebody loses a job and two paycheques later that could be you. You could be living in your car. You could have nowhere to go. You could have no food,” she said.

“If you were there, you would want someone to care enough to help you out, if you needed it.”

And Brady is eager to offer that help.

“At that age, to identify that things can happen to anyone and be able to give back to the community is priceless,” said Goss.

In addition to Brady’s Big BBQ lunch, he is also collecting bottled water and coffee year-round for the shelter.

Details on how you can help are on Brady’s Facebook page. A Go Fund Me page has also been set up for donations.

If you know of a person, event or place you think makes Winnipeg a better place to live, email us at betterwinnipeg@globalnews.ca.