The Saskatoon Friendship Inn has served meals at its 20th Street West location for 41 years and has always rented the building from the local Catholic Diocese.
The total rent? Just $1, annually.
The Friendship Inn will save that $1 now that the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon, which co-founded the Friendship Inn in 1969, has donated the $650,000 building to the organization at a Wednesday morning ceremony.
Although the donation is largely symbolic – the Friendship Inn has covered property taxes and utility costs for years – the two parties say the move suggests the organization is entrenched in the community.
“(The donation) is an indication that the Friendship Inn is well established and does good work in the community,” said Bishop Don Bolen after the media event. “It seemed appropriate to give away the building, especially with the expansion plans.”
The Friendship Inn is nearing the end of a campaign to raise $3 million for an expansion of its 619 20th Street West location.
The building has been used since 1969 when the diocese and the InnerCity Council of Churches established the Friendship Inn as a drop-in centre for homeless and transient men.
The Friendship Inn now serves meals twice a day 365 days a year for men, women and children who lack food security.
Friendship Inn staff serve an average of 500 per day, and last year served a total of about 180,000 meals, 40 per cent of which were for children.
But the Friendship Inn is more than just a place to eat. During the yeas, the building has acted as a drop-in centre where people can get bus tickets, health and social support or counselling, or just hang-out when the weather turns cold.
“The Friendship Inn is a much-needed service for people who might feel that they’re alone in their community,” said Geselle Doell, Friendship Inn executive director.
Along with the $1 in annual rent, the Friendship Inn has been paying the property taxes and operating costs for years so taking over the property’s deed won’t affect the charity’s budget, said Doell.
The local diocese has also supported the Friendship Inn with fundraising campaigns and volunteer support and its Bishop’s Annual Appeal fundraiser, which has raised $400,000 in 41 years for the Friendship Inn.
The “Friends In Deed” campaign has raised about $2.5 million of the $3 million need to complete the expansion of its location, said Keith Martell, campaign co-chair and First Nations Bank of Canada CEO and chair.
He said the fundraising should be completed by early 2011. The diocese’s donation will help the Friendship Inn’s expansion, Martell said.
“It opens up new opportunities for us strategically about what we can do for expansion possibilities,” he said.
The expansion will almost double the size of the Friendship Inn, which will also renovate its current home. Once finished, the new building has capacity to serve 300 people and will have more room for functions and support services.
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