Union Gospel Mission dishes out Easter meal

Volunteers prepare the annual Easter meal at Union Gospel Mission on Saturday, April 19.

Community members in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside gathered for an Easter meal at Union Gospel Mission, an event organizers say is a moment of peace and relaxation during a difficult time.

Saturday marked the 35th annual Easter meal at the charity and volunteers handed out about 2,000 plates. In total, the kitchen used roughly 1,850 pounds of ham, 500 apple pies, and 750 pounds each of scallop potatoes and mixed vegetables.

“The thing about Easter is that it’s a time of hope and rebirth for Union Gospel Mission,” spokesperson Nick Wells told CTV News. “So this is a chance for people to get other worries off their mind, like the toxic drug crisis anniversary that we just passed a couple days ago. This is a moment to put those worries out of mind and take a moment to rest and look after yourself.”

Wells says the charity is seeing more and more seniors accessing its services.

UGM gives out about 800 meals per day across its locations around Metro Vancouver, and operates shelters, supportive housing and recovery programs.