North Bay soup kitchen on path to overcome financial hurdle: board chair

North Bay’s Gathering Place, after a rocky 2024 that saw meals cut and staff let go, has slashed its debt to CRA from $333K to about $81K, while cutting costs.

In the last few months, major changes have taken place at The Gathering Place on Cassells Street in North Bay, changes staff say are helping the soup kitchen get back on its financial feet.

The change in fortune follows a rocky 2024 that saw a reduction in meals and staffing -- and lots of stress and worries that it would close for good.

It was a full house at lunchtime at the soup kitchen Tuesday for people just above the poverty line who need a hot meal.

“It doesn’t matter how many people there are, they’re going to feed you,” client William Wocinski said.

“So, it’s a welcome blessing.”

The Gathering Place has been forced to cut costs for the last several months to balance its books. For example, paying someone to remove the garbage, saving $1,000 a month.

“We’re working better with our bank to get some better interest rates,” said Peter Gregory, Gathering Place’s board chair.

In 2024, skyrocketing grocery costs coupled with donations drying up caused major concern.

The soup kitchen stopped offering three meals a day and went to lunch only.

At the time, Gregory said that a major misstep was not paying remittance to Revenue Canada. The gathering place refinanced its building and is currently paying the debt owed to the CRA.

Reduced their CRA debt

“We’re below the $100,000 mark we owe now and that’s a far cry from where we started,” he said.

“It’s probably at $81,000 -- and it was at $333,000 when it started.”

The Gathering Place serves meals to around 100 clients a day.

“It is kind of tough out there. It helps out because you only get one cheque a month,” client Jason Denis Ducharme said.

Staff expect the lunchtime rush to pick up as the warmer weather approaches, adding that the food rescue program has been a lifesaver for them and the more than a dozen food banks it supports.

The soup kitchen will also get a new roof this summer, installed by OCP Construction Supplies Inc. at no cost. See More Graphics & Signs will install new signs, and the building will be painted, both inside and out.

“We’ve got a lot of improvements coming in to make the place look better,” Gregory said.

“We want to give it a fresher look.”

While there have been a lot of changes, he said the mission remains the same.

“If somebody needs a meal, they’re going to come in here and we’re going to feed them,” Gregory said.

“No ifs, ands or buts.”