A Winnipeg soup kitchen that’s been helping to feed the city’s homeless and vulnerable population for more than a century says it’s now in need of some help of its own.
Lighthouse Mission needs to raise tens of thousands of dollars to replace a broken boiler in their 106-year-old building on Main Street.
Without it, the not-for-profit says it won’t be able to stay open this winter.
“This couldn’t have come at a worse time,” said Lighthouse Mission’s Beverly Ajtay, in a release Wednesday.
“We are supposed to be a warm, safe place for those in our community to receive meals, love and spiritual care and right now we are not able to provide that warmth.”
Lighthouse said their current boiler was put out of commission over safety concerns following a recent inspection that found a significant leak.
Initial estimates put the cost of a new boiler between $45,000 and $58,000.
“This was unexpected,” said Ajtay.
“We don’t have the extra finances in the budget needed for this.”
Lighthouse Mission feeds 300 people a day — an average of 11,000 meals a month — and extends its hours during the winter months to provide a place for vulnerable people to warm up.
Donations can be made online at lighthousemission.ca or by calling 204-943-9669.