Every week, I will be visiting community drop-in right in the heart of Toronto. Tomorrow will be my first time but before I step foot in there, Joe (the founder) helped shed some light on what a community drop-in is, who goes, and why.
A community drop-in is a safe haven for individuals to freshen up with food, laughs, healthcare and basic essentials of survival. Joe states that it is “a sanctuary” or in other words “a home to their family.” Truthfully, when I hear of the word drop-in, the idea of a family is the last thing on my mind. I personally thought it would be a place where the homeless or individuals who are less fortunate, are given a hot meal either it be lunch or dinner and then some. But as Joe explained more, it came to me that although these individuals are struggling every day, they are not doing it alone. They have each other and that is what keeps them living through to the future.
Every week they hold events: Tuesdays is a women’s drop-in, Wednesday is a community lunch, Thursday is a community dinner and Friday is a games drop-in. Through out the month, shows will also be hosted such as Java House or a Community Concert.
Every week, I will be attending a drop-in event. In doing so I am becoming one step closer to understanding the life of struggle. We all have struggles in our lives, but often times we have the essentials to becoming “an acceptance in society.” These individuals are often left in the shadows of the streets, forgotten and uncared for. Tomorrow is my first day, and like any first day I am nervous! I don’t know what to expect. LS
JLS 