Ottawa Mission serves up record-breaking number of Easter meals

More than 18,000 meals were served up at the Ottawa Mission’s annual Easter feast. CTV’s Kimberley Johnson has more.

Easter is a time for those who celebrate the holiday to enjoy family, friends and their community. At the Ottawa Mission, that sense of community came together as volunteers helped serve up thousand of meals to those who need it most.

Ottawa Mission officials said they expected to serve at least 17,500 Easter meals in “response to continuing extreme hunger in Ottawa due to elevated costs of living and other factors.”

On Sunday afternoon, the Mission reported having served 18,302 meals, from 17,601 meals last year.

The Mission served the meals on Easter Sunday at 53 Daly Street between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. It also gave out meals to clients at spots across the city in the week leading up to the holiday.

On Sunday, the warm holiday meal of turkey and gravy is welcomed by Wing Chow, who says he relies on the mission for meals like this.

“I enjoy it so much,” he said.

The Mission says in all, 7,000 pounds of turkey have been prepared, along with 3,500 pounds of peeled potatoes, 2,000 pounds of glazed carrots and 150 gallons of gravy.

Chef Ric Watson says he and his team woke up in the early hours of Sunday to pull it altogether. More than 100 volunteers created a well-oiled machine for those coming through the doors for the sit-down Easter Sunday meal.

“We started the prep, actually, months ago,” said Watson. “We get the turkeys in, we debone them, we cook them, we pack them and then we freeze them. Then, we pull them out when we need them.”

Food trucks visited 41 areas in the city and dished up 16,000 plates in the lead up to Sunday’s meal.

Watson says the menu includes a full traditional hot turkey dinner with glazed carrots, mashed potatoes, gravy and a slice of apple pie.

He says it all comes together thanks to volunteers and donors.

“I know what it’s like to be hungry,” said Watson. “I’ve been in that situation. I know what it’s like not to have an Easter or Christmas meal. So, it’s nice that we’re able to provide that for people that are in those situations.”

Serving a need in the community that continues to grow, Svjetlana Gavric says all are welcome, whether it’s returning faces or new ones. Over her 17 years volunteering, she says what keeps her returning is the smile on people’s faces and knowing she can make someone’s day brighter.

“They need it, we all need it,” she said. “The love makes the world go round, right? That’s why we do it.”

All that work to make her vegetarian meal didn’t go unnoticed by Monia Bikais, who is happy for a special chance to sit down and mark the holiday.

“Coming together and being a big community and celebrating together and I like that. And you meet a lot of people,” she said.

In December, the Christmas dinner at the Mission served 18,275 meals.

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