The annual Easter meal at the Union Gospel Mission in Vancouver is being served this year with an extra side of reflection. As the charity marks 36 years of dishing up the holiday feast to residents of the Downtown Eastside, the province nears the 10th anniversary of the overdose crisis being declared a public health emergency. Members of the outreach team at UGM say they know of at least three people in the community who have died over the last month, including one man in his 20s. And as thousands of people sat down for their meal Thursday, they took a moment to think about the chairs that are now sitting empty. “Every death we witness due to an overdose is a tragedy. Every person who dies is someone who had friends, family, and loved ones,” said Nicole Mucci, spokeswoman for UGM. More than 16,000 people in the province have died of an overdose since the emergency was first declared in April 2016. Some 1,800 of those deaths were last year, which represents an almost 30 per cent decrease from the peak in 2023. While the numbers are on the decline, the coroners service recognizes that it still represents a “profound loss of life.” Mucci said that Thursday’s meal offers a moment of respite for the community that has been on the front lines of that crisis. “Having meals like today where it is about renewal, it’s about fresh chances, it’s about rebirth, are really important for a community that has endured so much loss and heartache.” The meal also offers an opportunity for outreach workers to make connections and build relationships. Mucci said it gives them a chance to “start to make inroads with folks and try to understand where they’re at in their journey, and if they need shelter for maybe the first time, if they are exploring recovery, if they are perhaps in need of emergency food hampers.” The UGM says they expect to serve about 2,000 Easter meals across the Lower Mainland, including at their hubs in the Downtown Eastside and New Westminster. The meal, which includes about 1,850 pounds of ham, takes several days to prepare. Diners also fill up on 750 pounds of scalloped potatoes, 750 pounds of mixed vegetables and 270 litres of pineapple sauce. To top it off – 500 apple pies are served for dessert. Standing in the middle of the action Thursday, Mucci reflected on the “vibrant sense of community going on.” Sitting at a full table with a full plate, attendee Adrian Kennedy put it simply: “It’s awesome.”
