The fourth annual Fierté Simcoe Pride Community Winter Feast is going ahead with a new location this year.
For the past three years, Simcoe Pride has been handing out meals during the holidays as a way to support the 2SLGBTQ+ community and its allies at a time of year that can often be difficult.
Simcoe Pride president Colin Nelthorpe told BarrieToday that while physical distancing and health protocols will be in place for the Dec. 21 event, it will be a little better than last year.
“This year we'll be cooking and distributing from the Grace United Church in the city’s east end, which is better than meeting at the Spirit Catcher in the snow,” Nelthorpe said. “Last year, we were all still understanding the virus and how it spread so we tried to keep people outside, which meant volunteers standing in the snow handing out food.”
Nelthorpe was happy with how well last year went, but was also thankful to Grace United for allowing the group to use their space to do the event, which saw around 54 people get a home-cooked meal.
A registration form on the Fierté Simcoe Pride website allows people to choose what they want to eat and whether they will pick up the food or get it delivered.
“We deliver throughout Simcoe County and have been as far as the west side of Collingwood and up to Midland and Orillia,” Nelthorpe said. “It's just a great way to reach out to people who may be feeling lonely at this time of year and need a little something extra. The volunteers also look forward to it.”
Nelthorpe said there will be eight people cooking and around six or seven people delivering.
Grace United Church is located at 350 Grove St. E.
Dinner pick-up and delivery will be from 4-6 p.m. The event is free and family friendly.
Head to the Fierté Simcoe Pride website for details on how to register for a meal, donate to this and other events and/or how to volunteer for the winter feast.
